On 16 October 1890 Michael Collins was born near Sam's Cross, a tiny hamlet in West Cork, named after Sam Wallace, a local highwayman (Michael). Michael's father, Michael John Collins was seventy-five years old when young Michael was born. His mother, Marianne O'Briens was only thirty-six, and Michael was the youngest of eight children (Michael). Michaels father died from a farm accident when he was six leaving Michael fatherless for most of his life. Michael attended national school at Lisavaird, and the schoolmaster there had a large influence on Michael's life. For this schoolmaster, Denis Lyons, was an active member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, a secret organization dedicated to ousting the British from Ireland, by force if necessary (Hume 79). Lyons a

Stunned that anything could have happened to 'the Big Fellow' whose fame was, by now, legendary, Collins' men brought his body back to Cork where it was shipped to Dublin. His body lay in state for three days in the rotunda (Bell 46). The Belfast-born painter, Sir John Lavery, painted Collins in death, as he had in life (47). Tens of thousands filed past his casket to pay their respects, and even more lined the Dublin streets as the cortege made its way to Glasnevin for the burial (49).

nd the local blacksmith, James Santry, also in the brotherhood, were Michael's first tutors in giving him a sense of pride of the Irish as a race. Lyons and Santry were the two people that greatly influenced Micha!

Bombings, assassinations, kidnappings, extortion, and robberies were the main types of crimes the Ira focused on doing. Before its 1994 cease-fire, targets included senior British Government officials, British military and police in Northern Ireland, and Northern Irish Loyalist paramilitary groups. Since breaking its cease-fire in February 1996, IRA's operations have included bombing campaigns against train and subway stations and shopping areas on mainland Britain, British military and Royal Ulster Constabulary targets in Northern Ireland, and a British military facility on the European continent (Terrorism).

Collins made every effort to avoid a civil war (Toolis 176). He drafted a new constitution that he hoped would be acceptable to the Republicans (177). The rebels had been Collins' comrades-in-arms and he desperately wanted to avoid such a tragedy, but his efforts failed (178). In a move to dislodge Republican troops who had taken over the building, on June 28th, Collins ordered the shelling of the Four Courts. In a controversial move, he armed both pro- and anti-Treaty IRA members in the North to defend the Catholic population, but by resorting to violence against the Treaty terms in the North, he legitimized armed resistance in the South. On 6 July 1922, the Provisional Government appointed a Council of War and Collins became Commander-in-Chief of the national Army. Opponents of the Treaty rallied to the cause and fighting broke out in Dublin (182). The ten-month civil war had begun. The first phase was bloody and brief. By August, the better-equipped government fo!

Some topics in this essay:
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