Michael Collins. Presented by. Alexandra Wiltheis & Katrin Schmidt

Transcription

1 Michael Collins Presented by Alexandra Wiltheis & Katrin Schmidt

2 Michael Collins Life of Michael Collins The Anglo-Irish- Treaty The movie Discussion

3 Life of Michael Collins I born on 16 October 1890 in West Cork, Ireland youngest of eight children of a relatively well-to-do family already in his childhood greatly influenced by Irish nationalism Moves to London to work at the Post Office Savings Bank

4 IRB 1909 joins the Irish Republican Brotherhood chief group advocating armed revolt during the campaign for Ireland s independence formed around 1850 major influence in the Easter Rising + the War of Independence infiltrates the Irish Volunteers

5 Life of Michael Collins II gains experiences in the finance business 1916 returns to Ireland joins the Irish Volunteers and takes part in the Easter Rising is captured and interned at Frongoch Prison Camp released from prison on 22 December

6 Life of Michael Collins III employed as secretary of the Irish National Aid and Volunteer Dependants Fund uses position to revitalise the Volunteer movement and sets up an underground intelligence network by October 1917 Collins has risen to become a member of the Executive of Sinn Féin and Director of Organisation of the Irish Volunteers

7 Irish Volunteers formed in 1914 militant groups wanted to counter the UVF that was against the introduction of Home Rule in Ireland Sinn Féin political party, meaning we ourselves founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith free from British rule + gain independence for the whole of Ireland

8 Life of Michael Collins IV 1918 elected MP for Cork January Sinn Féin MPs set up a new Irish parliament in Dublin Dáil Eireann helps de Valera to escape from prison

9 Life of Michael Collins V 1919 he had a number of roles: head of the IRB, chief spymaster, one of the key organisers of the IRA becomes the first Sinn Féin minister of home affairs and minister of finance the sheer scale of Collins' workload and his achievements are impressive Collins nearly became a one-man revolution

10 Anglo-Irish War guerilla campaign against the British government started January 1919 led by the Old IRA accepted by Dáil Eireann ended in a Truce in 1921

11 Old IRA to distinguish it from later, different, organisations that used the same name first emerged as army of the Irish Republic, declared at the Easter Rising and affirmed by the First Dáil in January 1919 descended from Irish Volunteers + Irish Citizen Army many leading members joined the new national army of the Irish Free State. bloody civil war against the new civil administration by a small minority (continues to claim the name IRA)

12 Life of Michael Collins VI intensifies the guerrilla war against the British his secret service squad executes 19 British secret service agents (the 'Cairo Gang') now tops the list of men wanted by the British

13 Life of Michael Collins VII among national leaders, he made enemies with two particular people: Cathal Brugha + Eamon de Valera 1921 British Government seeks truce 14 September - Collins is appointed by Dáil Éireann as delegate to the treaty negotiations Anglo-Irish treaty

14 Life of Michael Collins VIII Sinn Féin splits over the treaty De Valera resigns the presidency + seeks re-election but Arthur Griffith defeats him + assumes the presidency this government has no legal status so a new Provisional Government is formed with Michael Collins as President of the Provisional Government

15 Life of Michael Collins IX effective administration is obstructed by the anti-treaty republicans. Anti-treatyists seize the Four Courts in Dublin on 28 June civil war becomes inevitable Collins lays down responsibilities as Chairman of the Provisional Government to become Commander-in-Chief of the National Army

16 Life of Michael Collins X leaves Dublin to visit forces in south of country on 20 August convoy is ambushed at Béal na Bláth in West Cork on 22 August Collins is killed

17 Michael Collins and the Anglo-Irish treaty At the Treaty negotiations in London, Lord Birkenhead remarked to Michael Collins: "I" I may have just signed my political death- warrant", whereupon Collins replied, "I" I may have signed my actual death- warrant".

18 The Anglo-Irish Treaty Treaty between the British government and the Irish Republic Brought the Anglo-Irish war to an end and established the Irish Free State Signed in London on December 6, 1921 Signed by representatives of the British government and envoys plenipotentiary of the Irish Republic

19 Participants of the Treaty negotiations Irish side Arthur Griffith Chairman of the Irish delegation Michael Collins Irish Republicans Minister for Finance and head of the Irish Republican Brotherhood Robert Barton Minister for Economic Affairs E.J. Duggan legal expert & member of the Truth Committee Charles Gavan Duffy Dáil envoy in Rome Erskine Childers as a secretary to the delegation

20 Participants of the Treaty negotiations British side David Lloyd George Prime Minister Lord Birkenhead Lord Chancellor Austin Chamberlain Leader of the Cons. Party Winston Churchill Colonial Secretary Sir Laming Worthington Evans Secretary for war Sir Hamar Greenwood Chief Secretary for Ireland

21 Negotiations DeValera and Lloyd George had engaged in a series of informal talks & a truce to the fighting was called on July 11, 1921 DeValera, Arthur Griffith and a small group of delegates went to London a month later DeValera was not pleased with the talks and send Collins to go in his place Collins did not want to go He thought that DeValera wanted him out of Ireland because he was too popular with the people

22 Collins in London Was not greeted very friendly by the British Won acknowledgement of Lord Birkenhead Knew that he had been set up by DeValera very soon Was not trained in negotiations Definitely inferior to the skilled negotiator Lloyd George Finally the British issued an ultimatum Either accept the Treaty or a failure would result in an immediate and terrible war

23 Content of the Treaty I British crown forces withdrawn from Ireland Ireland a co-equal Dominion of the British Empire, similar status as Canada & South Africa King part of its internal system of governance Members of parliament required to take an Oath of Allegiance to the Free State as well as a pledge loyalty to King George V, his heirs and successors Northern Ireland: Option of withdrawing from the Irish Free State within 1 month of the Treaty coming into effect

24 Content of the Treaty II If Northern Ireland withdraws: Boundary Commission: to draw a border between the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland Britain would control some ports, Treaty Ports, for the Royal Navy Ireland would assume responsibility for its part of the Imperial debt Treaty superior status to Irish law: in the event of a conflict between it and the new constitution (1922) it would take precedence

25 Collins bringing the Treaty to Ireland Treaty divided the Irish Republics leadership Anti-treaty minority headed by Eamon DeValera Main dispute: Oath of Allegiance Partition was also an important factor Treaty was ratified in December 1921 (Vote: 64 to 57) DeValera resigned his presidency and Arthur Griffith was elected in his place Provisional government was formed in January 1922 Michael Collins was elected Chairman

26 Civil War I IRA split into pro- and anti-treaty forces Pro-treaty troops: Free State Army Anti-treaty troops: Irregulars April 1922: Irregulars seized control of the Dublin Four Courts and other key buildings Negotiations failed War went on for almost a year Army drove IRA into the mountains IRA lost support of the locals due to continous disrupt of local life

27 Civil War II Destructions in Dublin A lot of old buildings were destroyed

28 22 August 1922 Michael Collins was on a mission to visit troops in his home county cork Was warned not to go Was shot at a place called: Beal na mblath the mouth of flowers He was the only one being killed Thought that Irregulars did the shooting, but also rumors that it might have been his own men To this day, there is controversy about what actually happened

29 Michael Collins the movie Liam Neeson Michael Collins Aidan Quinn Harry Boland Stephen Rea Ned Broy Alan Rickman -Eamon de Valera Julia Roberts Kitty Kiernan Warner Brothers 1996

30 Movie vs. Documentary Hero or criminal? Hero or traitor?

31 Bloody Sunday 21 November 1920 IRA shot dead 11 British secret service agents In reprisal, group of Black and Tans fired randomly into a crowd of civilians at a Gaelic football match at Croke Park, Dublin 12 people were killed

32 Collins in Parliament Bringing back the treaty Discussion in Parliament, he was accused of having betrayed the country by DeValera and his followers Did he betray the country or as he said brought he back the freedom to achieve that freedom to eventually become a free country?

33 Thank you for your attention!