[Leica] OT: Michael Collins, was Gun Photos

[marcsmall at comcast.net (Marc James Small)]

At 07:54 PM 12/8/2008, Douglas Barry wrote:

 >Ahh, the Sage of Roanoake hath spoken. We should all fall to our knees in
 >wonderment.
 >
 >Sadly you haven't countered Sonny's point of view with any supporting
 >evidence. The Irish Volunteers were made up of many people of both sexes 
 >who
 >came from widely differing backgrounds and class, but had one unifying
 >trait - an unwavering belief in Irish nationalism. Your dismissal of the
 >links between Collins and Childers may be satisfactory to you, but fail
 >miserably at convincing me. It is all very well to be trenchant, but to be
 >trenchant from a pulpit made of smoke, quite frankly, beggars belief.

Hmm.  I've not lived in Roanoke (note spelling) 
for some years and haven't even visited in the 
past year, though I really ought to make a trip back there soon.

I own a relatively extensive library on the Irish 
Rebellion and the subsequent Time of the 
Troubles, and I can find no reference to Collins 
being on good terms with Childers.  The two of 
them spatted for years, and did not speak after 
their visit to London for the treaty 
negotiations.  If you have some evidence that 
Collins ever visited Childers at his country 
house, please present it.  I'm hardly dismissing 
anything:  I can just find no evidence at all 
that the two men were ever more than very uneasy 
allies who personally disliked each other.

Again, I can find no reference anywhere that 
Collins had any special regard for County 
Wicklow.  I have asked for some documentary 
evidence to the contrary but, beyond pub tales, 
so far none has come forward.  I am very much 
open to being shown to be wrong, but, from the 
sources I have at hand, I cannot even find a 
single instance when Collins did more than pass 
through the County.  Saying something is so 
doesn't make it so:  I have gone through my 
sources and cannot find any support for the 
original assertion.  If anyone on the LUG has 
opposite and reliable information, I would 
appreciate their presenting it, probably best by private e-mail.

No, I am not being trenchant.  I am just 
presenting what is set forth in the books I have 
available to me.  Again, I am open to being shown to be wrong.

Marc


msmall@aya.yale.edu
Cha robh b?s fir gun ghr?s fir!