EDITORIAL: Michael Collins' death altered our State

One hundred years ago, the killing of General Michael Collins at Béal na Bláth in his native Cork altered the course of history and changed the future of an Ireland coming to terms with a very different reality.

Collins’ death came only days after the sad passing of fellow Anglo-Irish Treaty signatory Arthur Griffith and it left Ireland without two of its most powerful political figures at that particular time - the formative years of the new State.

While Griffith’s passing was the result of a brain haemorrhage, thought to have been brought on by the huge level of stress he was under, Collins’ passing was to have far reaching consequences for both sides of the political divide - a divide created by the signing of that Treaty.

There have been many conspiracy theories in relation to the killing of Michael Collins with each side accused of having set-up the fatal ambush. The real truth will probably never be known at this stage, but what is known is that had Collins not gotten out of the armoured car in which he was travelling and opted to speed away rather than engage the gunmen, the course of Ireland’s history would, more than likely, have been very different.

De Valera, who was close-by Béal na Bláth at the time of Collins killing, upon hearing of his death correctly predicted: “It’s my considered opinion that in the fullness of time history will record the greatness of Collins and it will be recorded at my expense.”

The Neil Jordan film Michael Collins certainly pointed the finger towards Dev and there are as many who would claim his innocence as those who would claim his involvement.

History has been painted with a particular hue, but how accurate is that colour?

How accurate, and impartial, has the recording of events past actually been?

How full a picture has been recorded in the history books - the books used in our primary and secondary schools?

From the State’s viewpoint the real tragedy is that Dev and Collins did not get to work together. What Ireland would we have now had Collins lived? Who knows?