100 years ago today, the assassination of General Michael Collins in Ireland.

[OnDoutside]

RTE: Cork event marks 100 years since Michael Collins' death.
https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/0820/1316896-michael-collins-ceremony/

Thousands of people will gather today at Béal na Bláth in Co Cork to commemorate the centenary of the death of Michael Collins in an ambush. The event is commemorated on the nearest Sunday every year, but this year, the ceremony will mark a historic first. The leaders of the two largest parties in the State, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael - the parties that were formed by the opposing sides in the Civil War - will address the gathering later this afternoon.

The event will see a seven-person Guard of Honour from the Defence Forces parade for inspection by Taoiseach Micheál Martin. He will then address the crowd, followed by Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar, as well as a relative of Michael Collins.

Michael Collins, Commander-in-Chief of the National Army, was on a tour of inspection of West Cork on 22 August. He travelled with a small convoy, an armoured truck, an armoured car, an open touring car and a motorcycle, with around 20 men in all.
On his journey into west Cork that morning, he was spotted going through Béal na Bláth by an IRA scout, and an ambush was planned.

Michael Collins’ convoy then made the fatal mistake of travelling back by the same road that evening, and ran straight into an ambush at Béal na Bláth. The IRA unit mounting the ambush had actually began evacuating the position, after it was decided the convoy would not after all be coming back that way. Only a few men were left in the ambush position when the convoy appeared. In an intense exchange of gunfire, Michael Collins was shot through the head and died almost instantly.

We can only imagine how the following decades would have unfolded, had he lived to lead the new nation, rather than that snake in the grass, Eamon DeValera.

[dem4decades]

1. At Jimmy O'Connor's in Wyndham there's a photo of him on the wall.

We'd order a round of single malt Michael Collins and give a toast. Wish I was there today, we'd have 2.

[OnDoutside]

3. It turned out to be a lovely day for it, with a big crowd.

RTE news : Collins' death deprived us of reconciliation - Martin

http://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/0820/1316896-michael-collins-ceremony/

[mopinko]

2. ty. i was not aware of his end.

been having an interesting convo w the leader of my band about what songs to sing in what kind of place, and what songs to sing early cuz you dont want a whole drunk crowd singing along and sobbing. he's not irish, just loves the music. he's been several times, including during the troubles. he's not real crazy about my level of nationalism and love for the rebel songs.
there are several songs about my ancestor, michael dwyer. he was not pleased that i'm looking for a song about him to do. there are several about him and his close cadre. there's an obscure one by a guy who is very dark, about his escape from a cottage past 100 highlanders.

he's a fountain of info on the pubs here in chi. which ones are 'off the boat', which ones are orange. which ones have dancing. and he can pretend he doesnt like songs about rebels, but i did 4 green fields, and he wanted me to do ballad of grace, so....

[OnDoutside]

4. It split the country for the last 60/70 years...our family was always

Pro Collins. You'd hardly hear those sorts of songs on mainstream media anymore, and to be honest, that's for the best. Most young people would know very little about them. It's still being pushed by the pro IRA Sinn Fein of course.

RTE news : Collins' death deprived us of reconciliation - Martin

http://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/0820/1316896-michael-collins-ceremony/

[H2O Man]

5. Recommended.

My grandfather came here from Ireland in 1879. One of his cousins worked with The Big Guy, and spent time in a cell next to Collins. He went on to be the first assistant treasurer under Brennan, then the second treaurer of the Irish Free State. My family has always shared your opinion of DeValera.

[mopinko]

6. my ggrandpa's immigration card says he was a free stater.

[H2O Man]

8. My older daughter

called this weekend. She had visited my younger one when she studied at the University of Cork. She is intent on us moving there. But I, of course, am a stick in the mud.

[OnDoutside]

11. Well as someone who lives in Cork, I may be horrifically biased (!),

but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

[mopinko]

12. my ex is over there right now.

when i get there, i intend to take my checkbook. we'll see what's out there.
owning something over there gives my kids a foothold if they want a passport. i need to get off my ass and get my passport 1st.
the ex assured me that if i'm willing to sing for tips, i can get gigs.

i hear the call.

[OnDoutside]

10. Which is correct, it was the Irish Free State until 1937 when it officially

became "Ireland".

[OnDoutside]

7. Thanks

[H2O Man]

9. And thank you!