Micheal Martin takes swipe at Sinn Fein ‘revisionism’

Although Mr Martin did not mention is republican rivals by name, he said more must be done to “confront the new revisionism” of those who “try to claim legitimacy for violent campaigns waged in the face of the opposition of the Irish people”.

Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle O’Neill provoked a backlash in recent weeks when she said there was “no alternative” to the Provisional IRA’s 30-year terror campaign in Northern Ireland.

Speaking on Sunday at Beál na Bláth in Co Cork – where Collins was shot dead during the Irish civil war in 1922 – Mr Martin said: “We have to give no quarter to their attempts to link themselves to the men and women who fought our revolution over a century ago.

“The fact is that our great revolutionary generation radically changed our possibilities and every major piece of progress our country has secured since then has been through centrist and democratic politics.”

Mr Martin said the Republic of Ireland has managed to avoid “the extremes of the left and right which brought such misery to other countries in the last century,” and went on to say: “Our centrist politics has ensured that Ireland has stood for the values of freedom, human rights and democracy in the world.”

Meanwhile, members of the Collins family joined Irish Defence Forces personnel on Monday at a centenary service at Cathal Brugha Barracks in Dublin.

Some of his relatives visited the military archives at the barracks, and the museum.

Also on display are his desk, the flag that was draped on his coffin and his Colt 45 pistol.

Brigadier General Tony Cudmore and Mary Clare O’Malley, grandniece of Mr Collins, gave addresses during the event.

They were followed by a wreath-laying ceremony, a minute’s silence, the playing of the Irish national anthem and an Air Corps flypast.

Wreaths were laid by Brig Gen Cudmore and Angus Collins O’Malley, great-nephew of Mr Collins.

Ms O’Malley told the crowd: “General Collins’ history is intertwined with that of the barracks.”