Michael Collins, Irish Republic revolutionary, soldier & politician was assassinated in a roadside ambush on August 22, 1922.

Collins was central figure in the Irish fight for independence from British rule.

… Collins never demonised his political opponents and his death in an ambush at Béal na Bláth during the Civil War robbed Ireland of its best hope of reconciliation.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin 2022 on the 100th anniversary of Collins’ death.

 

Assassination of Michael Collins, Centenary
Released in 2022 by Ireland
Designed by Ger Garland

Collins grew up in the shadow of the Great Famine, an era that profoundly influenced his early life and shaped his sense of justice and nationalism. His father, Michael Collins Senior, a respected farmer and scholar, played a significant role in nurturing young Michael’s love for Ireland and its people. Though Collins Senior passed away when Michael was only six years old, his influence left an indelible mark on the future revolutionary.
Michael Collins: The Patriot Who Shaped Ireland’s Destiny

Last year’s SOD celebrated a birthday – French composer Claude Debussy was born August 22, 1862