The IRA is a volunteer Irish group, started and led by Michael Collins that has fought the British since 1919 for their independence because they do not want to be considered a dominion. The Irish Republican Army, simply known as the IRA, has been involved in many assassinations and bombings in and around Ireland and England. Started by Michael Collins and still currently existing the IRA has played a major roll in the way young and old live each day in Ireland. .
On 16 October 1890 Michael Collins was born near Sam's Cross, a tiny hamlet in West Cork, named after Sam Wallace, a local highwayman (Michael). Michael's father, Michael John Collins was seventy-five years old when young Michael was born. His mother, Marianne O'Briens was only thirty-six, and Michael was the youngest of eight children (Michael). Michaels father died from a farm accident when he was six leaving Michael fatherless for most of his life. Michael attended national school at Lisavaird, and the schoolmaster there had a large influence on Michael's life. For this schoolmaster, Denis Lyons, was an active member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, a secret organization dedicated to ousting the British from Ireland, by force if necessary (Hume 79). Lyons and the local blacksmith, James Santry, also in the brotherhood, were Michael's first tutors in giving him a sense of pride of the Irish as a race. Lyons and Santry were the two people that greatly influenced Micha!.
el to join people together and form the IRA. .
In 1916, Michael returned to Dublin to take part in the planned insurrection. He received a Volunteer's uniform and as Captain Michael Collins he was second in .
command to Joseph Mary Plunkett in the General Post Office during Easter Week (Michael). Michael made no secret that he admired the realism of men like Sean Mac Diarmada more than the aesthetic Padraig Pearse. And though he played a minor part in the Rising, his sense of duty and clear-headedness are remembered.