Michael O'Collins

"'What have I gotten for Ireland? That independence which she has desired these past seven hundred years. Will anyone be satisfied with the bargain? Now as one of the signatories of the document I naturally recommend its acceptance. It gives us freedom, not that ultimate freedom which all nations desire, but the freedom to achieve it.' - Michael Collins" Michael O'Collins (16, October, 1890 - 22, August, 1922) was a British diplomat, military officer, soldier, statesman and veteran of the Third British Civil War and the Fourth British Civil War. During his career, O'Collins served as the first Minister of Home Affairs, second Minister of Finance, Adjutant-General of the Irish Volunteer Army, Intelligence Director of the Irish Republican Army, Commander In Chief of the National Army of Ireland and Chairman of the Cabinet for the Provisional Government of Ireland.

O'Collins' administration adopted the gold standard for currency circulation and production, deployed forces throughout Ireland during the Anglo-Irish War and the Irish Civil War, established the Irish Republican Army, the Irish Volunteer Forces and National Army of Ireland, enshrined the Constitution of the Dominion of Ireland and the Declaration of Irish Independence and raised £400,000 in loans to fund the provisional government.

O'Collins personally authored the Constitution of the Dominion of Ireland and the Constitution of the Republic of Ireland, commanded the National Army of Ireland during the Irish Civil War, directed intelligence operatives of the Irish Republican Army during the Anglo-Irish War of Independence, organized an assassination campaign against officers of the occupational British army, served as minister plenipotentiary during the Anglo-Irish Treaty Conference of 1919 and signed the Anglo-Irish Peace Treaty of 1919.