Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/12/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]> citation to run down. The Wikipedia Just came home from Bray Camera Club's weekly meeting and see that there's a Collins spat in full swing! Forget about Wikipedia for a start for any real depth and accuracy. Collins was a regular visitor to my grandmother and grandaunt's house during the 1916 Rising. Allegedly, he hung from a windowsill during one particular raid on it, but, that said, the story may well be apocryphal. However, as it was told to me by my grandmother - her sister (my grandaunt) was married to Captain Sean Connolly the man who led the 1916 raid on Dublin Castle, took over the adjoining City Hall, and was the first of the Irish Volunteers killed in the Rising - for that reason I expect it was true. Collins at the time was second in command of the Volunteers that took over the General Post Office and both men knew each other well. Collins did pass through most counties in Ireland as he was a legendary recruiter, organiser, and man manager, so many of the countries on Ireland could probably have some claim on him. Collins was initially a friend of Erskine Childers the novelist and a strong advocate of Irish nationalism - father to the Erskine Childers who became president of Ireland in the 70s - but the relationship broke down after the treaty. Childers did live in Glendalough, Co. Wicklow one of the most beautiful parts of Ireland so the claim that he had a special relationship with the county cannot be discounted. Douglas _________ Douglas Barry Bray, Co. Wicklow Republic of Ireland Collins and Leica?? However, it is unlikely that Collins used a Leica but it is not inconceivable that an early Oscar Barnack prototype could have found its way into the shipment of guns for the Volunteers brought by Childers on his yacht Asgard in 1914...... I can vouch for everythinbg above my name but the Leica connection....... Well <grin>