On leaving Cape Clear and making our way towards Dublin, we stopped at the place where Michael Collins was killed. This year marked the 90th anniversary of his death. We were lucky to be able to spend the night at the Imperial Hotel in Cork, where Collins stayed the night before his fateful drive and assassination. For those of you who don't know much about Michael Collins, he was the military commander of the IRA and was extremely important in the ultimate liberation of Ireland from Great Britain. He was killed by his own people after he negotiated a strategic settlement with Britain that only included about 80 percent of Ireland. Collins knew that Britain would never sign over 100% of Ireland, so he felt that it was better to obtain 80% and work on the remaining 20% over time, rather than have nothing. Absolutists in his organization had a different view, one more of "all or nothing", and as a result felt that Collins had betrayed them. As he lay dying, his final words were "Forgive them!".
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