No Michael Collins event at Béal na mBláth for this year
THE organisers of this year’s Michael Collins Commemoration at Beal na Blath in Mid- Cork have decided to cancel the event as they felt it would run counter to public health advice and government guidelines aimed at curtailing the spread of Covid 19 in Ireland.
Chair of the Michael Collins Commemoration Committee, Cllr Garret Kelleher confirmed this week that this year’s commemoration, which would have marked the 98th anniversary of Collins death in an ambush at Beal na Blath near Crookstown, will not go ahead due to the Covid 19 pandemic.
“In adherence with the most recent public health advice and guidelines relating to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Michael Collins Commemoration Committee has taken the decision not to hold our annual commemoration at Béal na mBláth this year.
“We look forward to welcoming supporters of the commemoration back to Béal na mBláth in 2021 and most importantly for the centenary anniversary commemoration in August 2022,” said Cllr Kelleher, a member of Cork City Council.
Collins was killed on the 22nd August 1922 by republicans who ambushed his army convoy at Beal na mBlath as he returned to Cork city from meeting with Free State commanders in his native West Cork as the Free State began to press home its advantage against Anti-Treaty forces in the Civil War.
A monument was unveiled to Collins at Beal na Blath in 1925 by then President of the Executive Council WT Cosgrave and although there were a few years in the 1920s when there were no commemorative ceremonies, there have been annual commemorations at the site since the 1930s.
This year’s cancellation marks the first time in over 50 years that there has been no commemoration at Beal na Blath which can attract hundreds of people from all over Munster and beyond as they commemorate Collins who was just 31 when he was killed.
In recent times, the commemoration has drawn thousands in particular in 2012 when Taoiseach Enda Kenny gave the oration to mark the 90th anniversary of Collins death and in 2016 when President Michael D Higgins gave the oration at the event,which is usually held on the Sunday nearest August 22nd.