Plaque dedicated to Michael Collins unveiled in London

A London council has unveiled a plaque dedicated to Michael Collins at the site of the hall where the Big Fella was sworn into the Irish Republican Brotherhood.

While working as a clerk in the West Kensington Post Office Savings Bank, Collins, an enthusiastic member of the London GAA, was initiated into the secretive IRB in Barnsbury Hall in 1909, in the presence of both Sam Maguire and Liam McCarthy.

Now, 114 years later, Islington Council, working with the Terence MacSwiney Committee (London), has unveiled a plaque to the Cork man who fought for Irish independence in the early years of the 20th Century.

The plaque was unveiled last Friday in Barnsbury Street, at the site of the former Barnsbury Hall, where the then-19-year-old Collins was initiated into the secret organisation.

Collins became a key figure in the independence movement, both through the original Irish Republican Army and Sinn Féin, going on to play a crucial, if reluctant, role in the negotiation of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, which established the Irish Free State in 1922.

At the Béal na Bláth ceremony marking the centenary of Collins' death last August, the then-taoiseach, Micheál Martin, said Collins should “be remembered as one of the greatest Irishmen to have ever lived.” 

The unveiling event was attended by politicians from both London and Ireland, including the Mayor of Co Cork, Cllr Frank O'Flynn, highlighting the council’s commitment to celebrating the cultural diversity of the borough, and the huge contributions of the local Irish community.

Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz, leader of Islington Council, said the Irish community in Islington had contributed much to the borough over many decades.

“In recent months we have unveiled the mural at Navigator Square to celebrate our Irish community and this plaque for Michael Collins is another example of our recognition,” she said.

“Migrant communities make up so much of our borough so it is vital that we celebrate their contribution and our diversity.” Martin Fraser, Irish Ambassador to the UK, said the Irish community in London had a long and proud history.

“It is fitting that this plaque will reflect how living in London shaped Michael Collins’ political outlook, which in turn had great influence in the foundation of the Irish State. It is important to recognise those key moments in our history and the strong contribution of our Irish community here in London,” Mr Fraser said.

Islington council has now installed more than 50 plaques at different locations across the borough, showcasing its rich and colourful heritage through the stories of notable historical people, places, and events.