SAOIRSE32

STATE PAPERS: THE REPUBLIC

By DR Eamon Phoenix
Irish News
30/12/08

Eamon de Valera refused a dying wish for him to attend a commemoration of Michael Collins, newly released official files reveal.

Papers from the Department of the Taoiseach in 1957 show that Sean Collins – brother of the murdered republican leader – pleaded for an official presence at his memorial.

Mr Collins also wrote to the then president, Sean J O’Kelly, saying the attendance of both him and Mr de Val era, the taoiseach, would go towards “healing the sores of the civil war”.

The request came about after the death of a Colonel Coughlan, who had previously organised the annual ceremony at Beal na Blath, Co Cork, where Collins was assassinated in 1922.

Colonel Coughlan “left it as a dying request” that Sean Collins would approach Mr de Valera and ask for him and the army to attend the commemoration, according to the letter.

“Although there are always men at the ceremony who took different sides in the unfortunate civil war, I can assure you there has never been anything but harmony on all occasions,” Mr Collins wrote.

“How I would dearly love to see you lay that wreath at the foot of that cross.

“I sincerely hope you will give your consent to this request as, apart altogether from the respect given to the dead, it would certainly be a great gesture towards the unity of old comrades.”

But Mr de Valera insisted, 35 years after the assassination of his former comrade who he had split with over the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty, that his attendance would be inappropriate.

“As I have understood it, your request is that the army should officially take part in the commemoration,” he replied, apparently ignoring the direct appeal for his own presence.

“I have, myself, given the matter the most careful consideration and I have spoken to the other members of the government about it. We are all of the opinion that the decision taken some years ago should be adhered to.

“At that time, we came to the conclusion that… the best thing to do was to have one day set apart on which the state could celebrate the securing of independence here and honour all who took part in the struggle to achieve it.

“Easter Sunday was the day selected.”

Mr de Valera suggested to the president that he reply to Mr Collins, stating that he understood the taoiseach had given him the government’s answer.