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An Insight Into Michael Collin's Life and His Role in Ireland's History

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An Insight Into Michael Collin's Life and His Role in Ireland's History
What in your view, was the short term significance of Michael Collins?
Michael Collins played a major part in Ireland’s History, in the years 1916-23. He had a short but political life where he had increasingly been involved in events such as the Easter Rising, Anglo-Irish War, Treaty Negotiations and the Civil War. Although he was only active over a relatively short period of time, his significance in such events was profound. His public image changed throughout the years, from one of the UKs most wanted men to a reasonable politician. In 1916 during the Easter Rising his role was relatively low key, but by 1922 he ultimately gave his life in the Civil War for what he believed in.

Michael Collins took part in the Easter Rising in Dublin. He fought alongside others in the General Post Office, and he was singled out as ‘the most active and efficient officer in the place’ by Desmond Fitzgerald, who had been put in charge of the General Post Office canteen.1 This would suggest that Collins always had leadership qualities and a passion for Irelands Freedom, which would play such an important part in later events such as the treaty negotiations of 1922. It would also imply that he had an important part In the Rising. However, Collins only played a relatively low key part, which was shown because he wasn’t one of the people who were court-martialled. This factual evidence contradicts the source, which shows even though this source is from a witness of the Rising and would have seen first-hand Collins’ part, it automatically has a low weight of argument because it’s provenance. The source is from one of his close associates who were on the same side as Collins in the Rising and therefore it will be in Collins favour towards his significance in the Rising. Also, Desmond Fitzgerald isn’t the right person to judge his part in the rising because he was in charge of the Canteen, so only really saw Collins during meal times, which isn’t when he would be making decisions or

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