Monday 22 August 2011

89 years ago on the 22nd of August 1922.....

....Michael Collins, "Commander-in-Chief" of the Irish Army, was assassinated in Beal na MBlath (mouth of the flowers or mouth of the ford of the buttermilk).
He and his party had left Cork City at approx 6am that day on a tour of west Cork. On their return journey to Cork City, through this valley at approx 8pm, the party was ambushed by anti-Treaty forces, who had a roadblock in place.
After an exchange of gunfire by both parties General Michael Collins was shot and killed, dying at the roadside where a memorial now stands.
I wonder how Ireland might have turned out if he had lived?

Eamonn DeValera is reported to have stated in 1966:

"I can't see my way to becoming patron of the Michael Collins Foundation. It is my considered opinion that in the fullness of time history will record the greatness of Collins and it will be recorded at my expense"

Read about him here and if you get the chance see the Liam Neeson movie "Michael Collins".


Apologies for the lack of visits on your blogs, still feeling like hammered faeces, back at work today and will check out some blogs.

28 comments:

  1. Hope you feel better soon! "Michael Collins" is a fine film. I also enjoyed "The Wind that Shakes the Barley". There's also a really interesting boardgame development going on over at ConSimWorld, with Keith Cumiskey's game of "Black and Tan", a very even-handed board game for Clash of Arms. Worth checking out at: http://talk.consimworld.com/WebX?50@580.VAbycQTJEHZ.7@.ee6ec34

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sorry to hear you've been under the weather.

    Michael Collins also appears in the comic book Preacher briefly, where the not yet a vampire (Proinsias) Cassidy kicks him in the groin as he deserts the volunteers in Easter Rising.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Best wishes for recovery.

    I just read a book about Christianity's role in Irish history which didn't mention the Irish Civil War. I'll have to follow up - can you recommend any good books that handle the Irish Civil War period (be they history or wargaming) as a starting point?

    Thanks for posting.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hope you are back to full health soon Fran. Thanks for the post. I had never heard of Michael Collins.

    ReplyDelete
  5. @scottsz: Michael Collins by Tim Pat Coogan, there is an essential histories book called The Irish Civil War by Peter Cotrell I believe.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The story of the Irish Civil War is really sad, expecially because both sides were somehow right about their demands.
    I've seen both "Michael Collins" and "The wind that shakes the barley", and even if they present a different point of view they're both interesting.

    As usual, thanks for the post!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Don't really know a lot about him, not seen the film either, although like some others also said I enjoyed "The wind that shakes the barley", (funny name for a film, especially what its about?)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great info! Michael Collins is an important film. It's definitely entertaining and is spectacularly photographed.

    ReplyDelete
  9. "The wind that shakes the barley" is taken from an Irish ballad by Robert Joyce about the 1798 Irish rebellion.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have a copy of Tim Pat Coogan's book, it's a very thorough and full-on read. The Michael Collins and The Wind that Shakes the Barley movies are both great, the latter in particular really confronts with its opening scene.

    DeValera's comment is apt as Collins did appear to be a rather convenient political sacrifice to Devalera's great benefit.

    Get well soon.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I agree with Jaccsy, that the film had lovely cinematography and art direction, like most Irish films did in last decade!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I definitely need to see the film -- I think Michael Collins is already in my Netflix queue. Hope you're feeling better soon!

    ReplyDelete
  13. hey its alright man. we all get busy and we know you cant be everywhere at once. :P

    ReplyDelete
  14. Interesting film, and a sad period of history

    ReplyDelete
  15. I've seen the movie not long ago and I really enjoyed it..
    Hope you'll be back and "full operative" soon! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Interesting post. I hadn't heard of Michael Collins, either.

    ReplyDelete
  17. First thing I thought of when I saw this was the Liam Neeson movie. What a story.

    ReplyDelete
  18. @Angry: Many thanks. I'm on it.

    ReplyDelete
  19. you sir are a gentlemen and a scholar.

    ReplyDelete
  20. as an irish man,i think collins is the our greatist patriot after james connolly,if collins lived ireland would be Socialist paradice lol.have you ever seen his free state uniform and pistol in The National Museum of ireland??

    ReplyDelete
  21. I did see that movie...or was it satisfaction...either one is very powerful!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wow, interesting view to this time. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Good to have you back and stay healthy.
    And these war movies always give me goosebumps. I am watching this.

    ReplyDelete
  24. brushing up on my irish history, thanks for the link.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Feel better...and thanks for the history lesson. Things that have actually happened are always way more interesting than the things people make up!

    ReplyDelete