Taken from The Southern Star published on Saturday August 26th, 1922

Dublin, Wednesday:

The following has been issued through the Government Publicity Department:—

“People of Ireland: The greatest and bravest of our countrymen has been snatched from us at the moment when victory smiled through clouds upon the uprising of the Nation to which he had dedicated all the powers of his magnificent manhood.

“The genius and courage of Michael Collins lent force and an inspiration to the Race, brought the long fight against the external enemy to a triumphant end, which had become almost a dream, and swept before it the domestic revolt which tried to pluck from your hands the fruits of that triumph—your unchallenged authority in the land.

“In every phase of the awakened activity of the Nation—constructive, administrative, executive, military,—the personality of Michael Collins was vivid and impelling. He has been slain, to our unutterable grief and loss—but he cannot die. He will live in the rule of the people, which he gave his great best to assert and confirm, and which his colleagues undertake as a solemn charge to maintain.'

TO THE MEN OF THE ARMY

Stand calmly by your Posts, bravely and undaunted to your work. Let no cruel act of reprisal blemish your bright Honour. Every dark hour that Michael Collins met since 1916 seemed but to steel that bright strength of his and temper his gay bravery. You are left each inheritors of that strength and of that bravery. To each of you falls his unfinished work. No darkness in the hour, no loss of comrades will daunt you at it.

Ireland, the Army serves, strengthened by its sorrow.

R. UA MAOLCHATA.
Chief of the General Staff.

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The Commander-in-Chief of the Irish National Army, General Michael Collins, who with members of the Headquarters Staff left Cork on Tuesday morning in continuation of his visit to various military positions in the South, was shot on Tuesday night at Bealnablath, mid-way between Macroom and Bandon, and expired in a short time.

The party were proceeding from Bandon by bye-roads in consequence of the interruption of the main roads, accompanied by a sniped armoured car, when they were ambushed by a large party of Irregulars.

A short fierce fighting ensued, during which the Irregulars lost heavily. Just before the attack was beaten off, General Collins was shot through the head and expired shortly afterwards. A despatch rider in advance of the party was the only other person wounded.

The party of National troops consisted of about twenty, most of whom were officers of high rank. They included members of the headquarters staff, who accompanied the Commander-in-Chief to the South, and General Sean O’Connell, the officer commanding the bodyguard, and Major-General Dalton, commanding the troops in Cork.

A despatch rider on a motor bicycle preceded the party. Immediately after him was the large special Leyland touring car belonging to General Collins, and in it were travelling the Commander-in-Chief himself, Major-General Dalton, Lieut. Conroy, and other officers. A Whippet armoured car and an ordinary open tender brought up the rear.

The ambush occurred near Bealnablath at 6.30 p.m. last evening, the fight lasting about an hour.

Bealnablath is situated between Bandon and Macroom, about eight miles from the latter town, a few miles from Crookstown, and south of the main road on the south side of the River Lee from Cork to Macroom. The district is wild, rugged, and is situated amongst the hills. The roads in the vicinity are poor, being chiefly bye-roads, as Bealnablath is altogether away from the main roads.

It was the interruption of communication on the main roads which led the party to proceed to Cork from Bandon by this round-about route.

The party of officers, which included several of Ireland’s principal military leaders as well as the Commander-in-Chief, left the Cork headquarters of the army at 6 a.m. on Tuesday morning. They visited nearly all the posts in South Cork occupied by the National Army, and took in Skibbereen, Rosscarbery, and Clonakilty in the course of the tour.

At each place the officer commanding the troops was interviewed, and the Commander-in-Chief and the other officers were the recipients of a very hearty, enthusiastic, yet spontaneous greeting, not alone from the officers, but from the troops themselves.

Little did they know that they would never again see the man whom they loved so deeply and admired so much.

Bandon was the last position of importance visited and the party then decided to return to Cork. It was then late in the afternoon, and the officers and men were worn out after their hard day’s work, which had commenced as early as six o’clock in the morning.

The Commander-in-Chief himself must also have been very tired. From Sunday evening, when he arrived in the city, he had been hard at work day and night, and Monday night midnight struck before he retired; yet he rose refreshed a few hours later to continue his exacting work.

Owing to the destruction of bridges by the Irregulars, and other road obstructions, the direct route from Bandon to Cork was not available. The party accordingly set off towards Macroom, with the intention of breaking into the main road near Crookstown and then running to Cork by that way.

They reached Bealnablath when the fatal attack was made suddenly, without the slightest warning. It was then about 3.30 p.m. The district through which the party were travelling at that particular moment is a quiet remote spot, little used.

A few shots fired by the attacking party, whose numbers were very large (being estimated as far as can be ascertained at about two hundred), opened the battle.

The ambushed party were taken completely by surprise. One of the bullets very nearly struck the Commander-in-Chief, before his car was stopped; indeed before the fight really began, a bullet passed him, missing him by only an inch or two.

The party hastily dismounted, and General Collins himself assumed the leadership, coolly directing his men. The hail of lead which swept the road left him completely unmoved. His first thought was for the safety of his men, whom he ordered to take cover at the fences on both sides of the road.

In the first outburst of firing the despatch rider in front of the party was hit, being wounded in the lungs.

Under the Commander-in-Chief’s direction the injured man was removed to a place of temporary safety, and then the party settled down to reply to the fire of the attackers. The discovery of the fact that the attackers had overwhelming superior numbers did not daunt either General Collins or his officers.

In a few minutes the attack developed into a grim battle, fiercely contested. Every one of the ambushed party was a man who had been tried time and again, both in ambushes during the war with England, and since, and in various other encounters and dangerous duties.

They were men who had repeatedly proved their bravery and coolness in action, even when taken at a great disadvantage, when fighting in the face of the greatest difficulties. They were men whose soldierly qualities had earned them their well-deserved high rank, and had earned them the grateful admiration of the whole nation.

In Wednesday’s battle they behaved as they could only behave. Fighting against overwhelming odds and with a terrible anxiety troubling them lest anything should happen their beloved Commander-in-Chief, they maintained a calm attitude, and fired away steadily.

The battle lasted for close on an hour, and it was in the very last stages of the fight that General Collins was killed. The steady, careful fire of the ambushed party took a heavy toll during the fight, a very large number of the Irregulars being killed or wounded. For three-quarters of an hour the only casualty on the side of the National forces was the wounded despatch rider.

THE FATAL BULLET.

And then occurred the terrible calamity which has plunged the whole nation into grief and mourning. The battle was nearly over.

The Irregulars were on the point of retreating, defeated in spite of their overwhelming numbers, their better position, and every other advantage. The firing had become less intense.

Suddenly the Commander-in-Chief collapsed and fell prone, struck in the head by a bullet. From the very first it was obvious that the wound was fatal. But the Commander-in-Chief, though mortally wounded, still fired away from the ground, encouraging his men by his magnificent bravery.

In a feeble voice he asked for Major-General Dalton, and this officer and General Sean O’Connell went to the dying hero. Broken-hearted, they whispered a few prayers, reciting the Act of Contrition, before General Collins breathed his last.

LAST WORDS.

The Commander-in-Chief’s last words when he lay dying on the roadside, when he knew he had only a minute or two to live, revealed his greatness as nothing else could have done. He said “Forgive them!”—and then died.

The body was removed under fire to the armoured car. The Irregulars were by this time in full retreat, having sustained very heavy casualties and leaving many dead and wounded on the field.

The National party were obliged to leave the Leyland touring car, and it was in the armoured car that the remains were brought to Cork, being conveyed to Shanakiel Hospital. The sad procession reached the city between midnight and one o’clock on Wednesday morning.

Removal of Remains.

MILITARY FUNERAL.

A SAD PROCESSION.

Eagerly crowds wended their way to Shanakiel Hospital, where the body was lying, and long before noon the hill was packed with people, while all roads leading to the hospital were lined with people.

On every lip there were expressions of horror at the tragic ending of a great and promising career, and in every heart the deepest sorrow.

Some persons were admitted to the hospital grounds and a few had the honour to enter the room where the body was lying, to look on the face of their cherished leader.

Officers of the Army formed a guard of honour and the room was laden with floral tributes and heroic blooms. His comrades in arms, including Major-General Dalton, were present.

Many citizens passed in, a silent, heartfelt prayer, left, all concealing their emotion.

A number of clergy were also present, including Most Rev. Dr. Cohalan, Bishop of Cork; Rev. Dr. Scanell, Farranferis; Very Rev. Fr. Suckling, O.P.; Prior, St. Mary’s; Rev. E. Walsh, O.P.; Rev. Fr. Breen, O.P.; Rev. Fr. Glendon, O.P.; Rev. Fr. O’Regan, C.J.; Rev. W. O’Sullivan, O.M.

Meanwhile the troops were lined up along the sweeping avenue to the hospital.

About noon the prayers for the dead having been said by Dr. Scanell and the assembled clergy, the lid was placed on the coffin and removed to the hearse.

The pall bearers were:—Major-General Dalton, Col. Commandant Kingston, General Liam Tobin, Col. Commandant Tyrell, Col. Commandant Sean O’Connell and Lieut. Commandant Dolan.

The order being given to the troops, a settled down with greater intensity, and a sad scene that was deeply impressive passed as the coffin was brought out followed by a group of nurses carrying handsomely wreaths.

The hearse moved down the ranks of the troops, and the military funeral was on its way.

As it proceeded on to Sunday’s Well, over Wellington Bridge, Western Road, Washington Street, Patrick Street, and down Penrose Quay, where the remains were put on board to be taken to Dublin, there were many evidences of tribute to the memory of Michael Collins, and a sincere showing of the general sorrow aroused by his ill-timed death.

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