Collins Centenary Setpiece

Romantic Ireland's dead and gone, it's with ...

This country is regarded as one of the best in the world but to listen to some people on here you'd swear we were all destitute.

The civil war parties did good over the last 100 years the workers party and new sinn Fein weren't around back then they are pretenders to a legacy they took that wasn't theirs. It's a pity we didn't get the six counties but there are a lo lr of people up there that hate us so I get why it had to be that way.

I do feel there should be more about Collins for the centenary. Like we did for 1916.

Don't be fooled, if Collins hadn't been shot this country would likely have become a fascist state like Portugal and Spain. Although that may have been an improvement on the socially regressive society that came out of the war of independence.

He suspended the elected government, as well as habeus corpus, with himself head of a triumvirate along with Eoin O'Duffy and Richard Mulcahy, both of whom had fascist tendencies.

"It is in time of war that the executive power displays the most redoubtable energy and that it wields a sort of dictatorship most ominous to a nascent liberty . ." - Maximilien de Robespierre

Not quite the hot take you think it is OP. Merely a centenary of historical rememberance

There does appear to be an automatic assumption by Fine Gael that Collins would have been in Fine Gael.

In some ways that seems likely but not absolute. Noting stopping him going to FF or setting up a different party completely. I think the country would have evolved a lot differently had he nor been shot.

However, the fact is he was in Sinn Fein of the time and that's all one can go on.

Fine Gael effectively celebrating a national hero they would refer to as a terrorist today I find quite ironic.

Why would they regard him as a terrorist today???

He was a member of the political movement that would become Finn Gael. He fought (and died) for the state against "what would today be regarded as terrorists and who would go on to become terrorists in the latter part of the 20th century.

Your post is just waffle. The centenary Setpiece is simply honouring the greatest irishman who ever lived.

I know it’s ridiculous. I hope it was just heat that got to the solider standing next to the Taoiseach.

It's just one of those events that seem to be suitable for the 'commemoration' treatment. Sure, weren't we all great blah, blah, blah.

You may notice there's been little talk of marking the dirty stuff that went down in this 1916-23 period. The massacres and land grabbing, the burning of many properties, dirty deals and profiteering and so on.

Thankfully it'll soon be done with, not much left to party about?

That is exactly what I mean parties or opponents manufacturing Collins guff. SF saying Collins was never in FG etc - haha etc on the same twitter thread posted above. My view on it - the above the above image was likely manufactured as a SF piss take on FG.

And current SF sidestepping Collins, but instead glorifying their own more 'recent' good republicans. The whole thing has little to do with honouring the dead It has more to do with a political pantomime, with the rotten stench of insincerity. While at the same time 'interested parties' hoping to get 'contemporary votes' from the dead. Politicians have no shame.

Then again, it could also have been Martin's boring speech. Seriously though, It was amazing that more of the soldiers didn't faint from the heat.

Regards...jmcc

Zero chance that would have ever happened. The book Path to Freedom gives a good insight into the man. As was said above Ireland would most likely have went Fascist had he survived.

It would have been an interesting few years, the majority of the IRA in the North actually supported the treaty and Collins would have been arming them. It's also possible we may have had a role in WW2 on the Axis side.

No. You should read up on James Connolly, the Irish Citizen Army and the foundation of the Irish Labour Party. The 1916 Rising had a lot of strands. The other aspect is that Ireland was a largely Catholic country at the time and Communism was eager to obliterate and replace all organised religion.

Regards...jmcc

Often wondered wtf were they thinking. Driving in an open top car etc. Im surprised that Collins who was an intelligent man didn't take more precautions. I can only think that the pro treaty forces were starting to win the civil war by that stage and that they were being too complacent?

If he had survived I think Collins would have set up some kind of benevolent dictatorship for a few yrs. Then seeing a change over to proper democracy.

I think ireland would have been the on allies side during the ww2. Though we were deep down really despite our neutrality. I even wonder would Collins have given back the treaty ports for the duration of the war? I certainly don't think he would have done anything as stupid as sending condolences to the Germans when Hitler died.

People acknowledge the deceased’s achievements on their death and anniversaries.

You mention hyperbole and stupidity yet your angle is basically ~ why commemorate him, he contributed to his own death.

Sinn fein love peddling the "mainstream media is our enemy" line