Michael Collins L3 - Lecture notes 3 PDF

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Delivered by Dr. Lily Hamourtziadou- this lecture explores Michael Collins and his role in the IRA, his life, and surrounding events....

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Michael Collins L3 Born in 1880 in Clonakilty, Cork- South of Ireland. Son of Michael John and Mary-Anne O’Brien 3rd son youngest of 8 children Moved to London at age 15 for work- Worked in the post office savings bank. Showed great promise Early Life: London and the introduction to the Irish Republicanism Played with Geraldine’s GAA at 16, very normal as it’s a national sport within Ireland By 19, the youngest club secretary in London GAA Reported to be fiercely competitive and didn’t accept defeat. He was seen as a motivator as he would encourage his team to continue even if being heavily beaten. During this time, met Samuel Maguire and was introduced to the IRB (Irish republican Brotherhood) The Easter Rising Wanted their own parliament- The Irish Parliamentary Party had gained an Irish Home Rule Bill through Parliament in 1912. This was delayed from 1912 to 1914 and then further postponed due to the First World War. The main groups in the rising were: 1. The Irish Volunteers (Led by Pearse) 2. The Irish Citizen Army (Led by Connolly) 3. The Irish Republican Brotherhood (Led by Clarke) 4. Cumann na mBan (Led by Countess Markievicz) The aftermath of the Rising The rebels surrendered and the leaders and signatories were executed by firing squad. As the executions began and continued, the public support for the rebels increased

Collins’ Role Involved with the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Aide-de-camp to Joseph Plunkett. Surrendered with the Rebels at the GPO and was to be sentenced to death as an officer in the Rising but slipped between the lines and was sent to prison. Noted the treatment of the rebels by British forces as brutal. The Prison Years Moved to Stafford prison and then Frogner Internment camp in North Wales Built contacts, connections and friends with the fellow voluntaries. The prisons that they were in were later nicknamed the ‘Sinn Fein Universities’ Released a year later. Post Release 1917-1918 Through his connections and influence developed in Prison, he was well liked and was put in charge of the 1916 Widows and Veterans support fund.

He started to redevelop the IRB and Irish Volunteers. Developed an intelligence network of agents and safehouses across Ireland. Worked alongside Arthur Griffith and Eamon De Valera, who were returned to prison in 1916 The General Election of 1918 105 seats available and due to the brutality to the rebel’s public opinion had changed massively where they won 73 of the 105 seats available. The War of Independence 21st January 1919 to 11th June 1921 The start of the war: Causes The treatment of the leaders of the Easter rising. Deportations of people to prison camps even having no involvement purely in grounds of suspicion The rejection of Westminster to the Daíl and the election as they claimed it was illegal The actions of the Black and Tans Key events of the Irish War of Independence The forced recall of all civil servants back to Dublin Castle to protect them from the Squad. Bloody Sunday The Burning of Cork The execution of Jameson and other British Agents. The Custom House Raid The British Intelligence System Policemen (On average 6 in every parish) recorded everything such as where you went and who you spoke to etc. all sent to Dublin police and then the G force- known as the best of the best. Agents Intelligence officers The G Men The Black and Tans British soldiers from WW1 who were sent to reinforce the police in Ireland as soon as the war finished They were told to make it impossible to the rebels to move around and hide- told to enforce the law and make people obey the law whilst being allowed to use force outside the law such as beatings etc Arrived on 25th March 1920 and began what was known as their campaign of terror. Many innocent people would be harassed, beaten, searched, arrested and/or shot. Supposed to stop the IRA moving around The Squad They were tasked to assassinate on Collins’ order without question Mainly recruited from North Dublin and the working classes. Mainly young men in their early 20s (except Patrick Daly)- hand-picked volunteers from Dublin Collins warned the Dublin Metropolitan police to remove the ‘G Men’. The squad initially warned then by dragging them down alley and beating them.

Set up in Crow Street which was the office of the intelligence corps. Only the leaders knew who all the members were as if they were captured, they wouldn’t be able to give up other members Bloody Sunday 1920 21 November 1920 Also known as the Croke Park Massacre The police and the Black and Tans entered to search the crowd but started shooting. 14 people killed. Youngest was 14-year-old John Scott. Anti-British and police hatred increased the IRA membership rapidly increased. The Anglo-Irish Treaty Signed on the 6th December 1921 De Valera sends Collins, Griffith and others despite Collins’ initial refusal. Some of the key points: Britain would maintain its jurisdiction over the ports of Berehaven, Queenstown and Lough Swilly The Daíl would have to swear an oath to the King and Ireland would be seen as a member of the commonwealth. Free trade and access to ships of each other’s flag into their ports.

The Irish Civil War 28th June 1922 to 24th May 1923 The Split of the IRA The pro- treaty forces Michael Collins Emmet Dalton (Head of the IRA in Dublin during the War of Independence) The Free State Forces (Later became Finna Gael) The anti-treaty forces Anti-treaty forces of the IRA Later became Finna Fail led by De Valera The war was eventually won by the pro-treaty forces The start of the Civil War The acceptance by Collins and the pro-treaty forces was seen as a compromise on the Republican ideals i.e.: a 32-county republic. The Anti treaty forces occupied the Four Courts which Collins ordered to it being shelled with artillery and vehicles borrowed from the British Army Fighting erupted in Dublin, the West and the South West. 22nd August 1922: The day Collins was killed Béal na Bláth (the mouth of the flowers) Around 7:30 in the evening, a convoy passes through with 1 lead motorcycle rider, and armoured car, 2 car and a Crossley tender. Collins funeral and legacy

Attended by approximately 500,000 people Buried in Glasnevin national cemetery: still the most visited grave in the cemetery His forces later formed the Fine Gael Party and alongside Finna Fail (formed by the AntiTreaty forces) dominate Irish Politics to the present day. Collins is still regarded as Ireland’s Greatest...