Previously unseen documents reveal an element of chance involved in the death of Michael Collins.
Michael Collins was killed in an ambush at Béal na Bláth in County Cork on 22 August 1922. Films and reconstructions have been made about the ambush that claimed his life. A new IRA document, written two days after the ambush, shows that the shooting of Michael Collins happened somewhat by chance.
A charismatic figure to this day, Michael Collins was chief of staff of the Free State forces during the Civil War and regarded as a brilliant military strategist.
Historian Brian Hanley explains how the documents outlined a detailed plan to ambush Michael Collins and his party. This initially did not look like it was going to happen but the ambushers got lucky when the Collins convoy returned and a smaller group were able to open fire.
The internal IRA document is published in a new book about the IRA titled 'The IRA: A Documentary History 1916-2005'. The book suggests that Michael Collins was not murdered by one of his senior officers or by one of his own gunners. Brian Hanley dismisses any conspiracy theories and says that Michael Collins made himself very visible to anti-treaty IRA men.
These documents have been hidden for decades in the papers of the former IRA Chief of Staff, Moss (Maurice) Twomey. Around ten years ago, the papers were donated to University College Dublin (UCD).
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 27 October 2010. The reporter is Joe O'Brien.
