Michael Collins centenary commemoration: He was best hope for Irish reconciliation, says Taoiseach Micheal Martin

The death of Irish revolutionary Michael Collins deprived Ireland of its best hope of reconciliation, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has told his centenary commemoration.

Mr Martin made history on Sunday when he became the first Fianna Fail taoiseach to speak at a commemoration for Mr Collins.

Thousands of people attended the ceremony, which took place in Mr Collins’s native West Cork.

Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said that history was made at the event as the leaders of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael made a joint address.

The two parties were founded from opposing sides of Ireland’s civil war of the 1920s, a split that has continued to be a part of Irish politics for the last 100 years.

Mr Collins was shot and killed during an ambush by anti-Treaty forces on August 22, 1922, near Beal na Blath in Co Cork during the civil war.

“It is perhaps the greatest tragedy of Collins’ death that it deprived us of our best hope for reconciliation,” Mr Martin told the large crowd.

“The bitterness which grew out of the events of the following year showed how much was lost in this place.

“He deserves our gratitude and he deserves to be remembered as one of the greatest Irishmen to have ever lived.

“The crowd gathered here today, the presence of representatives of different traditions and the role of Oglaigh na hEireann in honouring a fallen leader shows how far we have come since the first anniversary of Michael Collins’ death.

“In his short 31 years Michael Collins made a deep, lasting and positive impact on our country.

“Shaped by the ideals of his community, he devoted his life to his country.

“He was a dynamic leader who could both inspire people and, in the middle of a bloody conflict, build a new administration from nothing.

“He is a key reason why we have been able to build a country which, while it still faces major challenges, has been transformed for the better.”

There was occasional jeering and booing from the crowd during Mr Martin’s speech. The crowd attempted to drown out the booing with large cheering and clapping.

Descendants of Mr Collins travelled from across the world to attend the event on the eve of the centenary of his death.

They joined the thousands of people who travelled from across Ireland to gather at the ambush site, where the Michael Collins Memorial Cross is situated.

Mr Collins was part of the delegation which signed the Anglo-Irish treaty in 1921, leading to a split in the Irish Parliament and to the Irish civil war.