Sir, - Kevin Myers (An Irishman's Diary, August 28th) writing of Michael Collins, describes him in the following terms: "a man who organised an intricate killing machine against the rule of common law. . .who introduced systematic cold blooded murder into this country"; and "a willingness to murder in the name of Ireland, those whom you do not like or whose pasts you disapprove of".
Michael Collins was Director of Intelligence in the general headquarters staff of the IRA, whose chief of staff was General Richard Mulcahy. Eamon de Valera was the President of Sinn FΘin, whose army was the IRA.
Other members of the Sinn FΘin cabinet at that time were W. T. Cosgrave (condemned to death but reprieved in 1916), Eoin McNeill, Cathal Brugha and Kevin O'Higgins (who described Collins as "the greatest man that served this nation's cause").
One wonders how the descendants of these men today will regard Mr Myers's description, cited above, of the policies of their direct forbears.
Kevin Myers can write well and has shown that on occasion he is capable of seeing another point of view than his own. But the above hysterical outburst is not untypical of him when it comes to dealing with the Anglo-Irish war 1919-21.
Surely you, Mr Editor, have a function when it comes to printing such abuse in the columns of your paper. - Yours, etc.,
Ulick O'Connor, Fairfield Park, Rathgar, Dublin 6.