Mr Martin made history by becoming the first serving Fianna Fáil Taoiseach to address the event in west Cork, alongside Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar in the speech marking the 100th anniversary of Collins’ death ambushed by the anti-Treaty IRA. members on August 22, 1922; Addressing a large crowd, including more than 200 of Collins’ direct descendants, Mr Martin said Collins was “an earnest supporter of the Treaty and was equally committed to trying to prevent a drift towards civil war”. He said that Collins’ electoral pact with the anti-Treaty Republicans and his draft constitution were brave and strong gestures that could have prevented civil war, but there were those in London who blocked these initiatives and caused enormous damage. [ How The Irish Times reported the shooting of Michael Collins 100 years ago ] He said there was no doubt that since the Provisional Government and the Free State army had won a series of major strategic victories in the first two months of the civil war, Collins was determined to bring a swift end to the conflict. “He did not demonize others because he remembered everything he had been through with them as colleagues and friends. He never celebrated the deaths of rivals and showed deep compassion – he wept openly when he heard of the deaths of former colleagues like Cathal Brugha,” he said. Describing him as “a man who played an irreplaceable role in securing Irish freedom”, Mr Martin acknowledged that Collins was a leader who “always provided a particular inspiration” to Fine Gael, but also played a hugely important role in establishing of Ireland’s democratic traditions. [ The Hollywood star who provides a living link to the death of Michael Collins ] The Taoiseach said Collins should also be remembered for his opposition to the partition imposed on Ireland in 1920 and his relentless work to protect northern nationalists and stop systemic violence against them. “Collins keenly felt the wrath of the creation of a state based on religious numbers – but he also did not believe that a new Ireland could be built through a deadly conflict between the two great traditions that share our island,” he said. Mr Martin said Collins would also recognize the great progress Ireland had made in the 100 years since his death, going from one of the poorest countries in the world to one where both infant and maternal life expectancy had increased mortality has decreased significantly. “We need to do more to tackle the new revisionism of those who seek to devalue our country’s achievements and who seek to claim legitimacy for violent campaigns waged in the face of the opposition of the Irish people,” he added. Mr Martin said the presence of representatives of different traditions and the Irish Army, Óglaigh na hÉireann, at the commemoration showed how far Ireland had come since the first anniversary of Collins’ death, when only a small group of army friends and family gathered in Béal. na Bláth. Michael Collins Michael Collins had “a profound, lasting and positive impact on our country”, Mr Martin said in his speech. “In his short 31 years, Michael Collins has made a profound, lasting and positive impact on our country. Shaped by the ideals of his community, he dedicated his life to his country. He was a dynamic leader who could inspire people and, in the midst of a bloody conflict, build a new administration from nothing,” Mr Martin said. “It is a key reason why we have been able to build a country which, while still facing great challenges, has transformed for the better. For that, today, more than ever, he deserves our gratitude and deserves to be remembered as one of the greatest Irishmen who ever lived.” Tánaiste Leo Varadkar praised Mr Martin for accepting the invitation to speak at Béal na Bláth and said the politics of civil war ended in Dáil Éireann when Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil joined a coalition with the Greens in June of 2020 to form a coalition government. it works well. Referring to Collins, Mr Varadkar said Collins had a compelling vision for the future and the creation of an Ireland marked by social equality, economic efficiency, cultural achievement and religious tolerance. He noted Collins’ achievements as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the First Dáil, raising money to enable an independent government to function in a state that did not yet exist, while as director of intelligence during the War of Independence, he was able to paralyze an “imperial machine war”. [ Who shot Michael Collins? One hundred years on, the question remains unanswered ] [ The final day in the life of Michael Collins ] As a negotiator, he was able to secure a deal that went beyond anything ever granted by the British Empire, allowing Ireland to gain statehood, political and economic sovereignty and a path to win even more, Mr Vardakar said. “During the War of Independence, Michael Collins had shown the courage to risk his life by taking on the British Empire – now he showed even more courage to risk his reputation and his life in pursuit of a peace settlement. “To me, Michael Collins is a profile in courage. In six short years between Easter 1916 and the summer of 1922, he packed so much and achieved so much,” Mr Varadkar said, adding that Collins correctly predicted that the Treaty would give Ireland the freedom to achieve further freedom in future. Mr Varadkar said that for Collins, the 1916 Declaration was the starting point, not the end point, for Ireland on its journey to freedom and unlike others, who were unwilling to compromise on the idea of a Republic, he was willing to do so with a view to achieving his goal further in the future. “Instead of a Republic, he might accept a Free State, knowing that this name and designation might be changed at the proper time. He helped create a new constitution, knowing that it could be amended and replaced in the future,” he said. “He agreed to the union by democratic consent, thus securing a state of 26 counties instead of 32, knowing that these were the first words in the history of the Irish state and not the last… the genius of Michael Collins was that he saw the promise and potential of Ireland. “Others fought for decades, only to accept Collins’ approach almost 100 years later – he had the courage to make peace and accept that, in doing so, he could not take everyone with him. It cost him his life, but his legacy and his mission live on. “Michael Collins never intended his legacy to be the last word on Irish freedom. Instead, he gave us the freedom to find our own way to it. On the centenary of his death, we pay tribute on behalf of a grateful nation and say thank you. Michael Collins’ life was Ireland, his legacy is also Ireland.” [ Collins descendants welcome Micheál Martin’s acceptance to speak at Béal na Bláth ] The chairman of the Béal na Bláth commemoration committee, Councilor Garret Kelleher, had earlier invited a nephew of Collins, Michael O’Mahony, who laid a wreath at the memorial, while a great niece, Eleanor Moore, thanked the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the committee. . Among those who attended the celebration were the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Deirdre Forde, Mayor of County Cork, Cllr Danny Collins, Chief of the Defense Staff, Lieutenant General Sean Clancy and a number of other local political and civic officials.
