The Tanaiste said history has been made at the centenary commemoration of the death of Michael Collins, as the leaders of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael made a joint address.

Thousands of people are at the ceremony, taking place in Mr Collins's native West Cork.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin is the first party leader to speak at a commemoration for Mr Collins.

The two parties were founded from opposing sides of Ireland's civil war of the 1920s, a split that has continued to be part of Irish politics for the last 100 years.

Leo Varadkar said the political parties were divided by "mutual antagonism".

He added: "Civil wars, by their very nature, leave a bitterness which can take a very long time to heal, whether in Ireland, Spain, the United States or Greece.

"Undoubtedly, the Irish civil war was such a conflict and left a painful legacy which stunted our development in the years that followed.

"Dear friends, colleagues, civil war politics ended a long time ago in Ireland, but it only ended in our Dail when we formed the historic three-party coalition of Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Green Party in June 2020.

"Allow me to thank the Taoiseach for accepting today's invitation, and for the leadership and dedication he has shown over the past two years, and also for keeping a portrait of Cork's greatest son on the wall of his office."

Paying tribute to Mr Collins, the Tánaiste described him as the "great prophet of freedom" who was killed before we reached the promised land.

"That was the great tragedy of Béal na Bláth, and the curse of the civil war," he added.

"By commemorating his death each year, we remember his sacrifice and make an act of faith in the Ireland he and the revolutionary generation wanted to achieve.

"This event is therefore an opportunity to remember his life, reflect on what has been achieved, and where we have fallen short, and renew our determination to do better.

"He was both an idealist and a realist. And as he predicted, the Treaty gave us freedom and the freedom to achieve more freedom in the future.

"Others fought on for decades, only to accept Collins's approach almost 100 years later.

"He had the courage to make peace and accept that, in doing so, he could not take everyone with him. It cost him his life, but his legacy and mission live on."

EARLIER: Thousands of people are in attendance at a centenary commemoration of the death of Michael Collins in Cork today.

The event includes a historic address by the Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.

Mr Martin becomes the first Fianna Fáil Taoiseach to speak at a commemoration for Mr Collins.

He joins Tánaiste Leo Varadkar in delivering a joint oration, with the ceremony beginning at 3pm.

Michael Collins was shot and killed during an ambush by anti-Treaty forces on August 22, 1922 near Béal na Blath. 

Descendants of Mr Collins will travel from across the world to attend today’s event to mark the eve of the leader’s death 100 years ago.

They will join the thousands of people who will travel from across Ireland to mark the anniversary of his death.

They will gather at the ambush site at Béal na Bláth, where the Michael Collins Memorial Cross is situated.

A major plan to oversee the event will involve multiple agencies, including the Defence Forces, An Garda Siochana and emergency Services.

A number of roads surrounding the area will be closed and there will no car access or parking near the monument.

Those who plan to attend the event have been asked to park in designated areas and walk to event.