National Stamp (Centenary of the Death of Michael Collins)

On August 18, we commemorate the centenary of the death of Michael Collins, one of the most iconic figures in Irish history.

Following an ambush in County Cork on August 22, 1922, Collins was killed by anti-Treaty forces at Béal na mBláth aged 31. He was then head of the Provisional Government of the fledgling Irish Free State and Commander-in-Chief of the National Army.

Collins played a pivotal role in the War of Independence as director of intelligence for the IRA. Aide-de-camp to Joseph Plunkett during the 1916 Easter Rising, he quickly rose through the ranks of the independence movement and was one of the signatories to the Anglo-Irish Agreement in December 1921. He
strongly advocated for its approval in the Dáil and in the lead-up to the onset of the Civil War.
 
The design of our stamp features a photo of him in military uniform taken by C. and L. Walsh and is reproduced courtesy of the National Library of Ireland.

 

Product code 2209N