| Michael Collins was born in Sam’s Cross, near | | | | Organisation of the Irish Volunteers. He was |
| Clonakilty in Co. Cork, Ireland in 1890. At the age | | | | elected MP for Cork South during the 1918 |
| of fifteen he emigrated to London, taking the | | | | General Election for the House of Commons, but |
| British Civil Service Examination and securing | | | | in line with Sinn Fein policy at the time, he refused |
| employment with the Post Office. He joined the | | | | to take his seat. In 1919, he was elected |
| London GAA where he became influenced by Irish | | | | President of the IRB, Director of Intelligence of |
| nationalism, joining the IRB - a secret, oath-bound | | | | the IRA and Minister of Finance in Dail Eireann. He |
| society dedicated to achieving Irish independence. | | | | was part of the delegation sent to London in 1921 |
| During the 1916 Rising, he fought alongside Pearse | | | | to attend negotiations following the truce in the |
| at the GPO, after which he was arrested and | | | | War of Independence, the result of which was |
| imprisoned at Frongoch internment camp in North | | | | the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The Treaty divided the |
| Wales. He was very influential in activity at the | | | | people of Ireland and the country was plunged |
| camp and by the time of his release he had | | | | into a bitter Civil War, the Pro-Treaty side was led |
| become one of the leading figures in Sinn Fein. By | | | | by Collins as Commander-in-Chief of the National |
| October 1917 he was on the Executive | | | | Army. He was shot and killed during a gun battle |
| Committee of Sinn Fein and Director of | | | | in his native Co. Cork. |