Collins, Michael

Collins, Michael (b. 16 Oct. 1890, d. 22 Aug. 1922). Irish soldier and politician Born in Woodfield, Clonakilty, Co. Cork, he went to London in 1906 to work as a clerk. While there he joined the nationalist Gaelic Athletic Association and the Irish Republican Brotherhood. He returned to Ireland in 1916 and joined in the Easter Rising in Dublin. He was imprisoned until December, after which he became prominent in Sinn Féin and Volunteer movements. He became Minister of Home Affairs and later Minister of Finance after Sinn Féin's 1918 electoral victory and the establishment of Dáil Éireann, the Irish Parliament (not yet recognized as sovereign). His greatest success was as an originator of modern guerrilla tactics, particularly in intelligence, which he perfected during the War of Independence (1919–21) against Britain. Collins became a reluctant member of the delegation to London, which resulted in the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 6 December 1921. This established the Irish Free State but retained six Ulster counties under British rule. Collins became Chairman of the Provisional Government, an interim government awaiting the official establishment of the Free State in December 1922. The partition resulted in a civil war between those in Ireland who accepted the treaty and those who did not, lasting until 1923. Collins was Commander-in-Chief of the National (pro-treaty) Army, and was killed during an ambush at Béal na mBláth, Co. Cork.