"Michael Collins falls in an ambush in Cork."
So reads the headline in The Waterford News and Star of Friday the 25th of August, 1922.
Three days after those fateful events of August 22nd in Béal na Bláth, West Cork, the news of the Big Fella's death was reported in Waterford's weekly newspapers.
Such was the method of communicating breaking news at the time, the paper reports that "A Press Association special correspondent, in a telegram passed by censor and sent at 5 o'clock on Wednesday morning," relayed the news.
That telegram read:
"A message received in Dublin announces that General Michael Collins, Commander-in-Chief, was killed in an ambush near Bandon. In an army order issued subsequently the men were exhorted to stand calmly by their posts, and, bending bravely and undaunted to their work, to let no cruel act of reprisal blemish their bright honour as inheritors of the strength and bravery of their race commander."
It was reported that news of General Collins' death was received with despair.
"Irreparable loss"
The day before the paper came out, Thursday August 24th, Waterford's District Justices assembled at the City Court but the Mayor, Alderman Dr V. J. White, TD, stated that "in the face of the terrible tragedy which had occurred, every Irishman would appreciate the fact and would understand that it was only right and proper that the Court should again adjourn."
The members of the District Court then expressed their deep sympathy to the relatives of the fallen Commander-in-Chief, and to the government on "the irreparable loss they have sustained."
Continuing, the Mayor told those gathered that it was "very hard indeed for any Irishman to get up and try to say a few words about General Collins" but that he had himself met him in 1918 and during the "troubled times and English terror of 1920 and 1921... I never had any trouble in establishing contact with Michael Collins... He was always to be had."
Michael Collins had addressed meetings in both Waterford and in Dungarvan during his time.
Elsewhere, sympathies were also offered by the Waterford Branch of the Gaelic League at their committee meeting, held on Wednesday, the day after he had been fatally shot.
"Nevermore will we hear the words of encouragement to the Irish people"
In The Munster Express of Saturday, August 26th, a report is given on the special meeting that was convened on Thursday at 4pm of Waterford Corporation to vote sympathy with the relatives and to arrange a fitting civic tribute to the memory of General Collins.
Here, it was noted that this was the second terrible tragedy to befall Ireland in the last ten days, after the untimely death of Arthur Griffith on the 12th of August.
"These are terrible times for Ireland," declared Mayor White, "... Yes, Michael Collins is dead, and nevermore will the Irish people have the opportunity of gazing on that manly face.
"Nevermore will we hear the words of encouragement to the Irish people. Nevermore will we read of the defiant acts that he always took on against the enemies of Ireland.
"Words fail me to express adequately what I fear from this great catastrophe for Ireland.
"I venture to say that his death, instead of retarding in any way the wishes of the huge majority of the Irish people,... it will have a stimulating effect to see that the principles and ideals for which he and Griffith died will be carried out."
It was then decided that the Mayor, along with the other members present at that special meeting, would go to Dublin and represent Waterford Corporation at the funeral of the late General Collins the following Monday, August 28th, 1922.
Business, including the press, were also asked to close down their business premises all day on the following Thursday as a "slight tribute of respect to the memory of the deceased General."
The funeral of Michael Collins was reportedly attended by approximately one fifth of the population of Ireland at the time and an estimated 500,000 people lined O'Connell Street for the procession.
He was laid to rest in Glasnevin Cemetery, after funeral mass in Dublin's Pro Cathedral.
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