An Eyewitness Account of Michael Collins Death
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John O'Connell, a member of the Free State army that was travelling with Michael Collins when he was ambushed in Béal na Bláth on 22 August 1922 gives an eyewitness account of the death of Michael Collins.
There were so many heroes in Ireland and I truly believe Michael Collins was one of the top ones, if not the top one. My heart hurts to know that there were and still are some that do not give him the credit he deserved. I am so thankful that you are bringing our history to the attention of the world.
Thank you, Davy
Especially this chap Davy holden,must be working for finna fall.😊
Thank you Sandi 😊💚
Collins betrayed Ireland.
Just watched .. as my Dad always told us when speaking of Michael Collins.. even after all these years.. his death still hurts.. he will never be forgotten.. thank you for this poignant tribute Davy💜💙☘️
Thank you Jen 💚
@@davyholden You are so welcome.. and so appreciated🌹☘️💜💙
My granny said de Valera sold the north out and never forgave him. She was burnt out of there farm for holding the mass
@@patriciaMeany Your Granny and my Da were on the same page.. he never forgave him for his part in Michael Collins’ death ☘️💜💙
😢 ❤
I think he knew his days where numbered when he came back from London with that treacherous deal that Eamon had set him up for the fall. Still a lost to Ireland but as the saying goes Ireland unfree will never be at Peace. Great video Davy. Go raibh maith agat 💚🇮🇪🍀✊
Ireland reunited with the UK on 1 January 1973.
@@MarkHarrison733 So by joining the EEC it united with every Country in it. Ireland is a sovereign Nation.What a stupid comment by that rhetoric every Country in Nato is then also united . By being in Europe its elected representatives put forward resolutions which are then debated and voted on ( nothing is imposed)
@@peterallison-ex4yy Ireland signed its sovereignty away.
It was forced to vote twice by the undemocratic EU.
@@MarkHarrison733 Absolute nonsense.
@@peterallison-ex4yy The EU has destroyed Ireland and Greece.
It also caused this war in Ukraine.
What's crazy about Michael Collins I find is just how young he was. Feels like he was nearly in his 60's when he died because he's become so important to iriswh history, but he was only 31 when died. So, so young.
They grew up very very fast in those days. I'm old enough that I still remember that generation. One great uncle who used to come back from America every year: I only found out years after he died that he had been one of Collins' bodyguards during the War of Independence: many of my relatives had been involved in both wars but they never spoke about it.
@@jackspring7709Adulthood in those days was just that. You had to grow up. Unlike now where they're 30 riding skateboards and drinking ice coffee
@@KittyKat-vb1nd Very true.
Absolutely brilliant Davey
Thank you Davy for posting this.
Thank you Martina
Again, thank you so much for this beautifully remastered and very valuable interview.
Thank you Kathryn!
Davy- Thanks for posting all this content- I'm 2nd-gen I-A, my Da's father was a Vol in Fermanagh, when the border went up he went south and then to NYC, my mother's Dad fought the Tans in North Tipperary, the peelers caught him with a Webley in his pocket one night- after the Treaty, he stood up for the Republic, and got a one-way ticket to Oz for his efforts- after a few years in Brisbane, he, my Grandma, and my Mom made their way to NYC- talk about "Luck of the Irish", they can through Ellis Island a month after the Crash of '29...
Thank you Séamus 😊
@@davyholden thank you for the vids Davy my grandad fought in the North Tip brigade he is mentioned in the book My fight for IRISH FREEDOM. He was an engineer and well yes he was able to build things. He also done 54 days on hunger strike over in the scrubs. I never got to meet him but ye I thought I'd throw a bit of history back ye lad.
💚🍀💚😎🙏
@@johnnymolloy5846 My Grandda was from Toomevara- took part in the Borrisokane RIC barracks raid. Dan Breen stayed at my grandmother's parents farm in Knockane. Dan B was a cousin through my Dad's mother.
A must see for us.. Michael Collins.. my Dad’s greatest hero.. thank you for this Davy🌹☘️💜💙
Thank you Jen 😊
@@davyholdenThere are no words good enough to thank you for what you do for Ireland.. God Bless you Davy💜💙☘️
They killed a Mighty Man, A Hero. One of Irelands Saddest Days 😢
He was killed because he betrayed the Irish Republic. The true heroes are the once he refused to sellout and remained loyal to Republic that they swore an oath to defend.
@@SaorEire
sure
Thank you Davy.
Thank you!
Love your videos Davy, my wife's mother and her siblings were all from ireland 🇮🇪, most emigrated to New York but mary settled in Wales 🏴 i find the videos fascinating.
Thanks so much David!
Fabulous Davey! Very poignant.
Thank you
Thank you!
I could listen to this man talk all day, fascinating bit of history
Thank you for that great video
Interesting. There were 2 O'Connells on the Crossley Tender - Commandant Sean O'Connell (who went to fetch Collins body - we are told) and I presume this man (John) O'Connell. One thing he says rings true - he didn't see any of the shooters - indeed they themselves said they saw nothing as they were running from vastly superior firepower. That the ambush was aimed at Collins exclusively is speculation on his behalf - nor did he see the shooting and he gets the location of the wound completely wrong (again, according to a general consensus of where it was - behind the right ear at the bottom of the skull). In the Collins death it is very important to understand that no-one actually saw what happened and his recounting has the air of repeating a second-hand account. Especially as Collins fell hundreds of feet behind the Crossly and around a corner with a high ditch blocking any possible view. So the title of this vid though well-meaning is hardly an 'eyewitness' account. As with everything to do with BNB, we can't trust anything, especially long-held certainties. In all of those cases, we can only answer 'according to whom'. Who we choose to believe is entirely on us, entirely our choice.
At 1.35 that is Collins standing in the ruins of the family home which was burned down by the 1st Bn Essex Regiment.
Yes it is indeed
@@davyholden Thank you for your reply. People erroneously think it was the Black & Tans. Kenneth Griffith actor/historian states it in his book "Irelands Unfinished Revolution" Did you get my post in relation to the BBC TV documentary drama about Frank Crozier?
By percival the man who surrendered Singapore to the Japanese when he vastly out numbered them, he could only attack women and children in Ireland and the big fella tried to have him shot.
@@johnboylan3591 Obviously a lot of people know of Major Arthur Percival from reading Tom Barry's IRA memoir. He has earned a nefarious reputation in Ireland. However the reality is that he was a decorated soldier from WW1 and Russian Civil War. He was a holder of the Military Cross which he won at the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and was also awarded the DSO and received a bar to the latter for service in Russia. He was also a recipient of the Croix De Guerre. He was awarded an OBE for service in Ireland. He paid the IRA the highest military compliment by adopting British "Flying Columns" towards the end of the Irish War of Independence. He was a real nemesis of the IRA. As you correctly state the IRA tried to assassinate him in March 1921 in London. Churchill described the surrender of Singapore as the "blackest day in the history of the British Empire". There is footage of Percival in tropical uniform including wearing shorts surrendering to the Japanese. He would be in Tokyo Bay with General McArthur in August 1945 for the Japanese official surrender. Percival wanted to meet both Tom Barry and fellow IRA Officer Liam Deasy in later life. Dasy was receptive to the idea but Barry threatened to shoot him!
@@johnboylan3591 There was more to Percival than that. He was a decorated soldier from WW1 and Russian Civil War. He was awarded the OBE for service in Ireland. He gave the IRA the highest military compliiment by adopting British "Flying Columns" near the end of the Irish War of Independence. He was a real nemesis to the Cork IRA as many veterans confirm.
Was that Alex Ferguson I heard talking.
It was.
It sure is
Remarkable to hear a former Rangers player speaking so well about the struggle for an Irish republic. Fair play to the man. He's risen greatly in my estimation.
Respect from County Wexford purple 💜 gold 💛
Interesting, thank you
No denying things today would be different if Collins lived.. but at the end of the day he killed his fellow comrades an bent the knee to the king..
We slave minded serfs, that brought a tear to my eye, 😢
Me too
Anyone know why UA-cam put a blue Context box below this video, with a link to Encyclopedia Britannica? Is Michael Collins on UA-cam's naughty list?
He was set up and he always said "Its just a stepping stone." It makes you wonder what he would have acheived if he lived, something tells me that was why he had to die.
God rest his soul 🇮🇪
It was a very interesting time indeed, whether he could have ended partition is another matter. Northern Ireland still exists today 123 years on. Two things get me about the 1921 Treaty, Collins was sacrificed and killed for going against Republican thinking and their ideals as set out in the 1916 proclamation. Is the same not afforded to those Republicans who agreed something very similar with the Good Friday Agreement in 1998? Both Agreements didnt even have a 'republic' on the table. Makes me wonder were all these deaths even worth it.
GONE. BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN
I have a large photo of Michael Collins with Harry Boland stood together in Croke park September 1921 . Michael has a hurley in his hand and both are smiling at each other and enjoying themselves . May god rest them both.
At least Boland did not betray Ireland, unlike Collins.
When Michael Collins walked this earth men were men devilara was a kiss arse
Michael Collins Grandmother Johanna O'brien is my Great Great Grandmother.
Holidays to visit my Granny in Owenahincha, going to Rosscarbeyry, Clonakilty ,Skibereen , Lisavaird , Sam's Cross & Woodfield.
So much History surrounding my Childhood that I was to young to fully understand.
P.S Johanna O'brien is the reason Clonakilty black pudding exists.
You should have a wee trip down to South West Cork & see Tom Barries House in Rosscarberry & visit Jeremy ah O'Donovan Rossas Statue in Skib.
Truly believe he would have come to free us next in the North if only he had of lived . I go to his grave every year .
The founding father of our free nation and the protector of Irish Democracy.
A great man the key in the cake Spanish American Dev bit like today Leo and another import what be the end of us is there no truly irish men like Collins
By signing the treaty with England he consigned hundreds of thousands of Irishmen in Ulster to decades of discrimination, oppression and disenfranchisement. Many hundreds of lives were lost through poverty, pogroms and murder.
What was the alternative? I’m an Ulsterman and there seems to be poor judgement in some quarters here regarding Collins. Partition was a foregone conclusion before the treaty negotiations even began. That is a verifiable fact. Even if it wasn’t, there was simply no way the IRA could have conquered the north - as Collins himself said at the time of the treaty they were within weeks of running out of steam. As future events proved any attempt to do so would have been met with formidable resistance and the British government had zero interest in provoking another serious domestic political crisis by entertaining the prospect of full Irish reunification. So again, what was the alternative?
@@voiceof98 We spent over 800 years fighting for our freedom and the Provence of Ulster most of all. So partition was a forgone conclusion? No I completely disagree, who was verifying this, what Irishman had consented to this? Name them. We should have stood or fallen as one. What other excuse could Collins have come up with for his treachery but they were running out of steam. Contrast this to our own 'troubles' and that timeline and that was without the full support of the whole nation. And what afterwards, what did they do, FA. They became more English than the English themselves and to this very day Bend the knee to London and Washington.
@@arthurrafferty4102 I will name him, his name was De Valera. He de facto recognised partition in the talks that preceded the more fateful negotiations. After Craig publicly denied his statement that he spoke for the whole island he failed to challenge it. This in effect signaled the surrender of the north. He knew that a Republic would never be accepted by the British at that point. He then threw Collins under the bus by sending him so that he could then avoid responsibility himself and claim to speak for the Republic. It’s a cold hard truth, they were all prepared to accept partition at that point. But tell me, which of those men was strengthening the northern divisions before the civil war broke out, a catastrophe instigated by the self interest of the other? The blame for what happened afterwards lies at his feet
Good work Davy 👍
Thank you Gary!
Dan Breens talking has been edited. The part at the end about a cheap price to pay was not said about the Treaty. It was said about Dan lying his life down for Collins
And now we serve the European Union
And like us british people the wef also. Who quite happily rub it in our faces we will own nothing and be happy.
Dan The Man Breen . Legend 😊
That's not Dan Breen, I think that it is Sean O'Connell
1.34 ‘The James Dean of Irish history’
What a very bizarre and silly comparison. James Dean died in 1955 in a road traffic collision.
Who thought that comparison up 🤦♂️
Michael Collins was ‘The Michael Collins of Irish history.’
Collins was the Irish Quisling.
Dev was a complete coward. He made it clear to the British that he was American not Irish to save himself from execution. He knew Collins couldn’t a full Ireland.
It would be nice if lip readers could interpret what he said in the silent film of his public speaking.
There was a great documentary on the "Discovery Channel" a number of years ago in relation to WW1 and lip readers were stating what the British soldiers were saying in tbe footage.
@@johnroche7541 Thanks yeah I saw that - truly fascinating 👍
Thanks for the Primary source reminder of this part of Irish history, on this August 22nd, Slainte !
Murdered by his own people, damn...
He had betrayed Ireland.
@@MarkHarrison733 Nobody did more than he to get the British Army out of Ireland.
@@michaeldoyle8733 The British army is still here.
Davy, thank you. These mean so much. 800 years of slavery was ended by the Leadership of this Hero.
Thank you!
Ireland is a slave of the EU.
Collins betrayed Ireland.
And how are Ireland gonna become "free" atm?
Everyone is woke or just some? Islamm gonna take that island and all the irish peoples money 😂
Collins was murdered by ex British army soldiers in the "convoy". Why he allowed ex British soldiers to be part of his escort is another matter. According to forensic examination of Collin's body and ambush site, the bullet that killed Collins entered above his right ear as he faced the hill directly in front of him. The shot could not have come from the ambush group positioned directly in front and firing down. The most plausible explanation is assassination by one or more members of the convoy behind or up close to Collins. An "inside job" but planned by who? The Brits, or Free State Army in the pay of the Brits. The ambush team, like the "eye witness" correctly said, could have, if they had wanted to, have killed every member of the convoy. Collins was the only fatality. Since his murder, lots of tall tales, spin and disinformation by all sides.
Did'nt Irish historians,forensics,military ballistic experts and the state pathologist make a documentary on RTE(Irish TV) in the last few years about the bullet that killed Collins and dispelling a lot of myths.
Just like the cap john,that was bought for,a substantial amount money legitimate auction house,sold for thousands,only for a military historian to say couldn't be Michaels cap,because the badge on the cap was post 1922.sure your name is not dee forbes, john.😅
@@johnroche7541 RTE is not a trustworthy source.
Interesting that Dalton (sitting next to Collins at the ambush) was British Secret Service before and after he became General in the Free State Army ?? 🤔
Emmet was Director of Training for the IRA at GHQ. Emmet won the MC serving with the 9th Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers at Guinchy in September 1919 during the Battle of the Somme. His brother Charlie took part in the Bloody Sunday assassinations on 21st November 1920. Emmet with other IRA men disguised as Brirish officers and men failed to break Sean MacEoin out of Mountjoy Jail in May 1921.
The Battle of the Somme was July to November 1916 my friend.
The 1st of July 1916 is literally seen as the first day of the battle. However if one wants to be pedantic what about the artillery barrages weeks before that preceded the 1st of July 1916 date? Do you naively think the Battle of the Somme commenced and concluded on the 1st July 1916? I wont be rude. I would highly recommend getting a WW1 history book.
Obviously it was 1916 and not 1919. As stated the Battle of the Somne was from July to November 1916.
@@rambojp73 Dont be behaving like a troll. Good you spotted the error. With that other information I provided I think it is safe to assume I know the year of the Battle of the Somme. My grandfather was there like other IRA veterans . I am doing this on my phone and not a computer and numbers are close together and am typing fast. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I could go into troll mode and go on about you thinking erroneously the Battle of the Somme started and ended on the same day July 1st 1916.
As a English woman I am sorry u have the right to freedom WE AS ENGLAND have no right to not allow this, I don’t agree with the certain things that have happened but I do understand
I'm english from a irish background, now we have a common enemy mass immigration, corrupt politicians, the un and the wef.
Thank you ❤ 🇮🇪
Thank you for posting
The last time I was in Roscrea I ran into an old timer and we got talking about the big guy and he told me about how Mic gave his mom a box of chocolates for Christmas. We had a good time and I helped him get home safely and when we got there he showed me the box. He had it wrapped it cloth ; no chocolates 😮 . I jokingly asked him if I could have one and he said that if he knew I was coming he would have saved me one! After we had a good laugh he said the name of Dev and spit on the ground and he gave me a look that would have made John Wesley Hardin tremble in his boots. He was 91 and that was 25 years ago. I appreciate what ya do Davy!
Interesting story
Dan Breen murdered his own country men, poor men who joined the ruc, a police force, not an occupying army, and he hid in ditches and shot them in the back. He was not respected by collins. He was a criminal, not a decent man or a hero. A vicious brute. Collins was very different thing to Dan Breen. Irish history is not simple.We had wrong ones too.
Breen was a major Nazi.
My friend took me to this place and told me this story. All of Ireland is beautiful but that was the damndest place I’ve ever seen.
Is a Cork Pakistani a "CorkAsian?"
Michael collins only young man ahead of his time,only have to read the mans diaries, thinking 50years ahead, lot of his letters notes and notebook went missing destroyed,had been around today youd simply join the dots get the truth.
Tiocfaidh ár lá 🇮🇪🇮🇪
He has become a tragic figure of Irish history - almost Jesus-like, in that he sacrificed his life for the freedom of others. It is often forgotten that Collins was not the sole signer of the treaty agreement. Others agreed on the proposed treaty and it was the Dal that approved it. But, The Big Fella was the face of the whole thing and he bore the brunt of it. Truly a shame. He and his colleagues achieved "half a loaf" for Ireland with eyes on the "whole loaf," which I believe they would have, had it not been for Collin's assassination.
He betrayed Ireland.
@@MarkHarrison733. HE DID NOT BETRAY IRELAND! Michael Collins was a Soldier, not an astute career politician, like De Valera! Had Michael Collins lived, there would not now be disunity in Ireland!
@@Ann65. Collins enforced partition using weapons from the British.
Sad to think.Ireland was one of the first countries occupied by the English,and today,it's one of the last still fighting for it's independence.
Somebody with sence.
Ireland reunited with the UK on 1 January 1973.
@MarkHarrison733 "Reunited"? Ireland was a sovereign country, and NEVER a part of the UK!! Ireland was invaded in the 16th century by England, who still possesses and controls territory from Ireland. So how's that being "reunited"? Idiot.
The man who allegedly shot the Big Fella. Is buried a few hundred yards from where I live in Nenagh
A name was bantered about as to whom shot Micheal Collins. Does anyone really know??
What could’ve been havent had anything like a leader since.
Dia leis
Bolox read up john o connell utter bolox.
Fantastic.... What an interview 😮
Just marvellous dav thank you💯
😂😂 collins working brits.
Remember Winstinn Churchhill divide and conquer....
Very interesting
That is a brilliant yet tragic account,i agree with him a hell of a sight for an ambush alright.Visited 20 yrs ago an only by chance found it coz folk were stealing signs to it,crazy.Rip General,the fight ain't over yet.💪🍀
I found the location ... after driving around for an hour and a half or so. I was going to give up and then found it.
2:27 Definitely has more than a passing resemblance to Hitler in that footage.
Cheap and nasty.
ireland ...palastine... india...
Ireland britain Germany france Sweden
Collins betrayed Ireland.
People came from all over the world to be Irish to be free they believed, please read the Irish constitution then start to learn who came to Ireland to give their life, do you know in the 5 and 6 century all the Irish tribes sailed to England and drove out the last of Roman dominance, English and Irish were free, now try find that in your history books
More to tell if you ask
5th & 6th century Irish raiding/settlement along western coasts of Britain was of importance in what is now Cornwall, Wales, Cumbria and most especially what is now Scotland which takes its name from the Irish "Scotti" who founded a Kingdom in Galloway which eventually gave its name to the whole country. But to say that Irish raiding was the major reason for the Western Roman Emperor to pull out the regular British Garrison and let the local Magistrates cope as best they could is pushing it a bit since the Imperial Government seems to have much larger concerns like Goths, Huns, rival claims for Imperial title etc.
As for England which did not exist before the 9th century being freed of Roman dominance by the Irish. The Christian Latin speaking Magistrates and Church do not seem to have been very happy about being abandoned to Irish & Pictish slave raids (such as the one which captured the future Saint Patrick) and were still pleading for help from Rome for the next 50 years while bring in Saxon, Jutes and Angle foederate to deal with the raiders.
Depending on your historical viewpoint: a) Bringing in the Saxon fathers of the fathers of the English was a terrible call on a par with the Irish decision to bring in the Normans to deal with a small local problem (view popular in Wales) b) A object lesson in why people should not "Welsh" on a deal with the English tribes and not pay them (A English view or c) It made no difference the German Tribes were on the march and nothing was going to stop their northern branches from taking over most of the nicer bits (from a farming point of view) of Britannia.
Either way the fact that England now speaks a basically German language (with additional bits nicked/borrowed from all over) rather than Scots or Irish Gallic seems to fairly comprehensively prove that the major influence in the formation of England was from the East and not from Ireland.
I know that Ireland is pretty diverse in its opinions just like any nation. Yet, I will state that your videos really give me strength through this genocidal situation in Palestine.
Shut up
Collins was working for the brits
Having a question everything bias, the big fella was set up I believe by Dev.
The last one to be shot and given a reprieve 🤔. When all your brother's in arm's were slain and you would have heard it. A true revolutionary goes out fighting, could he be turned and be placed as a British implant, his meteoric rise by the main stream media of the time and not the Majority of the people. I 🤔 But is it a case of the pens mightier than the sword..... But he was suffering in my opinion an inferiority complex and guilt for turning over a true Irishman one of which is lacking today.
Dev declined a unified Ireland, hiding behind religion.. Interred many of the true Irishmen without trial executed without trial, all very reminiscent of the English when in rule. Kept in power for the length of time only a shill could do.......💚🤍💛
Thank you again davey for all your knowledge on our history its nice to see all off this history been brought straight to my home it brings back school days gora maith agut 🇮🇪🇮🇪💯
Respect to the Irish, a great nation still punching well above your weight.🫶🏻