Sarah Johnston Period 2

For centuries England ruled over Ireland. They took their land, their homes, and their food, and the Irish were sick of it. Although Michael Collins was not a main infiltrator in the beginning of the eighth revolt Ireland attempted against England, he supported it greatly.

Seven other men wrote and presented to the public the Irish Declaration of Independence, an open threat to the English. This of course did not settle well with the English, they sent out the Black and Tans, named for their uniforms, they were brutal and merciless.

The Black and Tans arrested many men and even a few women who helped stir up the publics’ desire for freedom. In the end all seven signatories were executed along with others but many more were sent to prison, including Michael Collins.

Michael Collins was noted for his skillful infiltration of the British Intelligence and his assassination of its agents. After Collins returned from eight months in a prison camp in Wales he helped found and then directed the intelligence of the Irish Republican Army.

 In less than a year Michael Collins had become one of the most wanted men in Ireland with £10,000 on his head.

 After three years of fighting, Eamon de Valera, president of another organization called Sinn Fein, negotiated peace with England. Several months later he sent Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith for further negotiations

 Against there will they signed a treaty declaring that Ireland would fall short on being a completely independent, and left northern Ireland under British control.

His body was returned to Dublin where thousands of people, including British soldiers paid their respect at his funeral.  Irish citizens weren’t too pleased with this news and in August 1922, Collins was shot by associates of his own army who opposed the treaty.

Work Cited commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ireland_flag_...