Alex Ferguson on Michael Collins & Irish History

[@ciaranwalsh2131]

Genius recognizes Genius

[@padraigodeorain9966]

Foregoing the arguments about Collins, Alex Fergusons knowledge and respect of Irish history is brilliant.

[@grahamfleming7642]

@James Henderson ignorant pig

[@germurtagh7288]

@James Henderson discussing comment shame on you🤨

[@karlthomas8031]

@James Henderson well you sound like a thundering prick of limited sense.

[@germurtagh7288]

@MrMervinJMinky yes we don't like the English too much 🇮🇪👍😁

[@patsig7632]

@James Henderson The best way to reply to such a comment, in my humble opinion,would be to refrain from giving it the dignity of a reaction at all. 'Hopefully this will be the least reaction to such a comment.

[@lucabrasi3964]

I'm Scottish and we learned about Micheal Collins and the Irish struggle for independence in school. One of my favourite history subjects and i have nothing but respect and admiration for the Irish heroes who fought and died for their country

[@lucabrasi3964]

@@antseanbheanbocht4993 aye it was part of the curriculum and we had to write an assay and do a test on it, we even watched the Micheal Collins film with Liam neeson lol it was a Catholic school so maybe that had something to do with it

[@noghd2560]

@@antseanbheanbocht4993 Scottish curriculum has Easter rising and Potato famine. Scottish curriculum is very different from the English, English won't mention Scotland or Ireland once.

[@krisc2535]

I'm English and the only way I properly learnt about the Irish Potato famine was through reading the Readers Digest book of Great Disasters. It was mentioned a fair bit and English people are aware of it, it just isn't in the curriculum (well it wasn't when I was growing up)

[@shooterblaze1]

Terrorists you mean

[@antseanbheanbocht4993]

@@shooterblaze1 Amadán.

[@MrGanaface]

Alex Ferguson is a legend of men, this just sets it in stone.

[@levieenrose7646]

Michael Colins, the big man from Cork, will be forever one of the greatest heroes Ireland ever had. 🇮🇪

[@giggergigger1]

Didn’t know Fergie was a fan of irish history , very good

[@giggergigger1]

@@CidersAndReligiousCrusades yep he was pretty crap!

[@AwRighttttt]

@Enoch Power shhhhhhhhhh up Yeh muppet

[@nigecheshire9854]

@Enoch Power gud vid hehe good man

[@madleprechaun3431]

He's not a fan of Ireland,he's a ranger's fan a blue nose.The wind that shakes the barley is mostly bull shit.

[@madleprechaun3431]

@@AwRighttttt 🤣🤣🤣

[@masoodahmed2041]

Wow I thought I would never hear a premier league manager speak with such pragmatic intellect and analysis a great commentary and understanding of Irish history...well done sir!!

[@WakaWaka2468]

Fergie was different to every other manager. Can't imagine Pep Guardiola being this intelligent

[@masoodahmed2041]

Liam Gallagher No, I heard Warnock once give a passionate defence of Brexit but not sure of any other manager who can speak with the knowledge of Collins, De Valera, 26 v 32 counties and the subtle nuisances of Irish history.

[@RB-NZ2]

Liam Gallagher pep is intelligent lad doubt he’d give a fuck about Irish history when his own home of Catalonia is going through something which he’d obviously be more invested in

[@francishuddy9462]

@@WakaWaka2468 No, you are wrong. Pep Guardiola is, rightly, a Catalonia nationalist .. He probably knows all about Ireland ...

[@siofra3819]

His Mother was an Irish Catholic from Enniskillen

[@adamoleary3029]

There are no words to describe how much I love and respect this man.

[@alangregg5520]

DeValera knew he couldn't deliver the 32 county Republic and didn't want to take the blame for the failure to do so.

[@albertgrant6670]

Alan Gregg. ypu are absolutely correct .

[@shredder9536]

The 32 County Republic was already functioning from 1919. The treaty put an end to it

[@footballireland3623]

An Barr Buadh that’s not true at all. The Government of Ireland Act 1919/20 gave Ireland a Republican government in Dublin and a Loyalist government in Belfast. It still kept the partition. The 32 counties have never been freed since Ireland was first invaded

[@shredder9536]

@@footballireland3623 The All-Ireland Republic was functioning from January 1919, it had its own courts, police, all Ireland parliament, and army, the IRA. The government of Ireland act was December 1920 to introduce two partition parliaments to break people's allegiance to the All-Ireland Dáil. Republicans boycotted it and formed the 2nd Dail in 1921. The treaty put an end to it when the British got a section to support partition. The republian courts were suppressed, the republican police, and then the army was attacked by the free state one.

[@johnmccarthy168]

Collins was shot by his own people

[@58johnjohn]

Michael Collins was the greatest Irishman ever. Had he not been murdered we would have been spared the dour De-Valera years, Collins was far more dynamic. As De-Valera said himself, ''In the fullness of time history will record the greatness of Michael Collins,and it will be at my expense''.

[@61505]

maybe i am exaggerating things but maybe, just maybe, there would not have been magdalene laundries and industrial schools and while the church would have had its place, it would not have been allowed so much dominance-separation of church and state.

[@RobertK1993]

johnners clonkerbernard Killed by the greedy Brits and that coward De Velera who made Ireland unwelcoming to non Catholics.

[@patcorr9148]

No Martina, you are not exaggerating.

[@declanwalsh1476]

Yes you are exaggerating should never ever signed

[@shredder9536]

@@61505 the laundries started in the 1800's

[@siobhanmurray9232]

Never knew Alex was a fan of Irish history and of Michael Collins 🇮🇪 fair play to him.

[@johnlavery6116]

Me to...Greetings from Ireland

[@claddaghclare22]

Me neither.

[@triestodrum2215]

No Surrender to IRA terrorists.

[@anonymousalias.5059]

@@triestodrum2215 ira today are scumbags, but their rise especially after ww2 was justified. catholics simply had enough of the oppression and chose to rise up. the uvf were shite compared to the highly organised ira

[@paulreynolds7103]

@@triestodrum2215 🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪

[@hoolley]

Thanks for posting this. My opinion of Alex Ferguson has gone up.

[@bacfrere]

+Jo Moreland me too . in fact, i couldn't stand the guy before i saw/heard this clip. ps i am english but we have the benefit of irish radio in the south west and it is so much better than bbc!

[@grlfcgombeenhunter2897]

I was just about to write the same FairPlay to him.

[@brianbozo2447]

Same here!

[@gutworm686]

Mine has gone down.

[@asmith9040]

A Rangers fan from a Glaswegian Protestant family, if he hadn’t been pushed out of ibrox for marrying his Catholic partner , his career and RFC history might have been very different.

[@horseman6468]

Collins was Irelands best hope for the future ,if he had lived Ireland would have progressed so much faster .Dev kept the country ,particularly rural Ireland under the thumb of the Bishops for forty years.

[@fromireland8663]

@horseman64. I would question that. Dev had a tough time keeping McQuade at bay.

[@jamesbradshaw3389]

My dear father was proven to be completely correct almost time that he spoke, he was a gentle, kind and thoughtful man who lited lifted his hand to any of his 11 children all during his hardworking life, he was not a man to give his opinions very often but when he spoke we listened and remember, I recall what he said about De Valera and how he kept the people down by his own beliefs, Dev was not a bad man but somethings that he did and do not do helped to keep the poor and less well of poor and less well off

[@jackjones9587]

@@jamesbradshaw3389 I wonder what Collins and Dev would have thought about Ireland being sold out to the EU troika deal?

[@kommissar.murphy]

realistically, it would have probably worked out much the same. If Connoly had survived, both the firing squad, AND cancer, things would have been way different.

[@UncleKlausSchwab]

A profoundly ignorant comment that exposes your lack of knowledge. No one was under any thumb, they chose to do so. We had secret ballots and people could have voted for a secular party but they didn't want it.

[@emmettking7717]

As an Irish Arsenal fan, I always knew Ferguson was an intelligent man, this interview only reinstates this fact. I've always had a kind of respect for the man and I hope he stays well after his recent health scare.

[@jamesbradshaw3389]

You are also an intelligent and very smart man and you know fotball

[@Jack-gn4gl]

Yes I'm a gunner but you can't disrespect someone like sir Alex, stand out manager of my generation without doubt

[@kratosboy5557]

He was a good man

[@MarkHarrison733]

He was a terrorist and a traitor.

[@islandbreeze1352]

Michael Collins RIP ☘🙏🏽

[@TheOshman4]

RIP Colm Murray. Loved the horses.

[@Irish780]

Yes. Collins was made a scapegoat by Dev alera

[@claddaghclare22]

Definitely agree.

[@Irish780]

@@claddaghclare22 did you.know as the took his coffin on a ship to cork the met a British fighting ship and all stood to attention until it passed

[@Irish780]

@Twilight living well seemly not everbody there was a civil war over it

[@Irish780]

@Twilight living it was the cause of a civil war here in Ireland my point why did the not see at the time collins was made a scapegoat

[@Irish780]

@Twilight living it was in cork i was in the pub he drank in before he left a lot off Cork people believe he got shot by one off his own men in the ambush we never will really know

[@red4life848]

Massive respect for Alex Ferguson what a man. Liverpool fan 👍

[@charliehunter794]

As an Northern Irish Protestant I’m amazed Sir Alex Ferguson is so interested in the history of the island of Ireland. Very educated man.

[@BeltandBraces]

charlie hunter: Fergie is self taught, Irish history is not taught in brit schools that makes him a well read man

[@johngilmore6688]

Alex Ferguson could teach us all something, he was in the Boys'Brigade as a lad.

[@jamesmuller1077]

@@johngilmore6688 what is that?

[@freebeerfordworkers]

@@jamesmuller1077 A church based Christian youth organisation for boys based on the British Army but having no connexion whatever with it. It was founded in Glasgow at the free church mission by Sir William Smith in 1883. I don't know if it's still going but it was international and held a World Rally in Dublin in the mid 1960s. It was cordially welcomed but unfortunately some people appeared at events carrying banners reading "Ireland is Catholic"

[@rodhurley1154]

when are you people in the north are going to wake up and realise the english people want their billions of pounds back when ireland is united.

[@retrocd7991]

This is one of the most beautiful crossovers I've ever seen

[@Seansaighdeoir]

Interesting to listen to Ferguson's take on this part of Irish history and more interesting to know that it actually interested him. Think he called it about right on Dev to.

[@drewhawley7249]

Brilliant men. 🇮🇪❤

[@FUNKINETIK]

The Big Fella was born 130 years ago today (16-10-1890). The Greatest Irish Hero.

[@MarkHarrison733]

Collins was a traitor, which is why the IRA killed him.

[@FUNKINETIK]

@@MarkHarrison733 Érie would still be under British rule had it not been for Michael Collins.

[@MarkHarrison733]

@@FUNKINETIK Incorrect. World War I had already destroyed the British Empire.

[@tomtucker1984]

Brian Boru deserves a mention as the Irish goat too.

[@patriciaharte8113]

Very surprising that Alex knows so mush about Irish history.

[@colmanlong1032]

Patricia Harte what does he really know a fckin royalist unionist.

[@irishjamesfitz]

If you are really interested in the history of Ireland the famine the Rebellion even up to 2008 people's property went right down the pan it's all on KZbin you can spend a full day on I doubt if you remember it all go on KZbin go back to 1880 's and to and really things started building young irish lads was with the British soldiers fighting in France against the Jerrys 1916 to 1918

[@adambrown9669]

Why Scotland avd Ireland are very similar

[@francishealy2956]

Not Really hes from Glasgow 🍀🍀🍀🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪☘☘☘

[@jonathanmcaleece9834]

colman long ah so you can’t be a royalist or unionist if your to know irish history. Fucking read a book you uneducated twat.

[@seangoodspeed5210]

DeVelera set him up. Absolute.

[@seangoodspeed5210]

@John Wickes yes he was. Shister!

[@adamwatson9675]

John Wickes wasnt a traitor

[@adamwatson9675]

The MightyKid dev didnt agree with the treaty like half the population so stood against it he diddnt betray he stood for what he believed 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@liamheffernan6911]

Thanks for posting this.

[@mz.6109]

It is Irish history and like it or not, Michael Collins was and still is a hero to the Folk of Eire

[@shredder9536]

He's a traitor to a lot of us

[@robinclarke9978]

@@shredder9536 but this is Ireland.

[@shredder9536]

@@robinclarke9978 what do you mean

[@dylanmckibbin8822]

@@shredder9536 so u would rather still Ireland be apart of Britain ? If Ireland fought on Churchill himself was prepared to bomb Ireland to a crisp I’m from the north and out day will come he’s no traitor

[@shredder9536]

@@dylanmckibbin8822 6 counties still under British rule. The free staters were allies with the British and still are. The British army train the free state army and the RAF protect the skies above all 32 counties.

[@chrisgjohnson134]

AMAZING INTERVIEW .....WITH A LIVING LEGEND ....

[@bookworm4314]

Some of the comments here are deplorable...the man knows more about Irish history than most Irish people do and I am Irish.

[@TerryBradshaw63]

With you there Eamonn. Have to say I'm surprised

[@trevscribbles]

Most have just been taught to spray "UP DA RA" on community center walls.

[@Jie67]

Trev Moran where as the rest are sent to band camp to march in honour of a poof and murderers.

[@PTS82]

Gael na hÉireann wouldn’t have been taught in Fergie’s school

[@irishmike44]

@Gael na hÉireann Well said

[@ThefightingCelt]

Although Sir Alex was brought up a Protestant, and was an avid Rangers supporter growing up ( later to play for them ), he was not bigoted in any way, and as we know, he married a Catholic woman. His bother, Martin, supported Celtic . Sir Alex Ferguson is a clever man and his knowledge of Michael Collins and that period of Irish history is exemplary.

[@seanhorgan9688]

His mother was a Catholic too

[@christopherlynch9006]

Both his parents were from mixed Protestant and Catholic marriages

[@nigelmurphy6761]

RIP Michael Collins and Colm Murray

[@patsig7632]

I admire Alex Ferguson for overcoming the prejudice of so many people in Scotland, particularly Glasgow, my home town, in order to educate himself about the history not taught in schools when I was at school, a Catholic one. My learning of relevant Scottish and Irish history came once I had left school. It's the old tactic of the British empire, divide to conquer. Invade a country then use others to do their dirty work for them: the black and tans, give land as a reward, typical empire building tactics. The Westminster government does not care about the Scots, the Irish the Welsh or for that matter, the English working class. They only pay lip service to our concerns, especially when they need our votes or soldiers, front-line workers, ad infinitum.

[@Mob135]

Its not prejudice more that one gets headaches trying to understand people from glssgow. I often cant even read a text either

[@luboo4034]

Mark O'Brien away and don’t talk shite and yer words only go to prove yee are a racist and anti Scottish av never heard an Irish man or woman say they struggle to understand a glaswegian or a Scotsman/woman for that matter mabey yee are just a wee bit thick / slow in the heed son fuckin EEJIT 🖕🏻

[@luboo4034]

Christy Dolan yee are clearly a racist BASTARD with yer jock comment yer a thick bastard that’s what yee are and to try and educate yee a wee bit because a now know yee really are a thick bastard Glasgow Celtic is 100% Irish mabey play in Scotland but our great club were founded by Irish men for the poor impoverished Irish immigrants that fled to Scotland to help feed them and cloth them so do yer history before yee slaver shite the only club out with Ireland that commemorates the famine and the people that died and wear a badge every year in wur strips the only club out with Ireland that has always flown the tricolor above the stand wur whole history of players past were all great Irish men Celtic are 100% an Irish club playing in Scotland it’s as simple as that but yee will be one of those turncoats that family probably fought everything the English done to your country and yet support an English team fuckin EEJIT and another thing the Scottish have given more to the world than any other country so mabey know what yer talking about before yee open that stupid silly mouth of yours DOGBREATH 🖕🏻

[@mrblue2569]

@@luboo4034 lol, what a load of pish.

[@geraldwalsh6489]

@@luboo4034 whoa! He is only winding you up! We Irish really like the Scots...chill out man

[@diamondgeezertunes]

Sir Alex would have a great PM ... A real leader with a spine and conviction of his believes based from his working class and gritty background .. Top man

[@wonjubhoy]

Very interesting interview with the greatest ever Scottish football manager.

[@niallocallaghan5699]

Probably the greatest ever manager, certainly nobody better than him...

[@ferdia748]

Niall O Callaghan yeah there is

[@niallocallaghan5699]

Conor Beggs No there is not, he is up there with the greatest, let himself down big time in his book but as a football manager, his record speaks for itself.. Forget about club allegiances and think of a manager that you can clearly say is / was better than him...

[@ferdia748]

Niall O Callaghan helenio herrera

[@niallocallaghan5699]

Conor Beggs Great manager, but aint no fair to compare to Fergie, but your saying he was better, well thats madness, what fergie done at united and the teams he put together and the consistency of his success was so great that we never even think of what he achieved at Aberdeen...no mean feat to break the old firm, not been broken since i think...

[@jayd1974]

Sir Alex you are a legend from a die hard Man UTD fan from Manchester 👍

[@gonedetectinguk5906]

God bless Michael Collins in our hour of need why did you go ☘️ From Scotland 🙏

[@daviddoherty3349]

I did not realise Ferguson had this interest in Irish history, come across very well... from a Liverpool fan !

[@cormacmacdonncha1052]

Wonders will never cease !

[@shanemcdonagh1979]

Liverpool fan and not only was he one of the greatest managers not the greatest 😉 but a real nice guy and couldnt agree more with him history shows collins was done over but will always be a legend

[@shredder9536]

How was he done over? He could have said no

[@l.carew54]

@@shredder9536 if he had said no the British threatened to do a full force invasion dev knew he wouldn’t get the answers he wanted and didn’t want to take the blame

[@shredder9536]

@@l.carew54 That's an old wives tale. The delegates were told to report back to Dublin before signing anything and they didn't do it. Churchill admitted in his memoirs the threat of war was a bluff. That was De Valeras reason for not going. The buck would stop with him and the cabinet away from the gruelling negotiations which wore collins and Co down

[@johnnotrealname8168]

​@@l.carew54I have no clue if it was a bluff but with time for re-arming and the backlash against a full-scale invasion I do think it was a bluff. He could have rejected the treaty.

[@jamesbradshaw3389]

I am from another land but every time I watched Alex Ferguson talk about his team Man United I listened very carefully, I fully believed that man could convince his players that they could walk on water for a little time if they only believed. Every time the very great Alex send his boys out to play they had an extra invisible man on the field of play and he was also called Alex

[@mcdibbern9919]

Regardless of De Valeria’s ( born in the US) decision not to enter WW2 a huge number of Irish men joined the British military and fought bravely. Incidentally De Valera signed a book of condolence on the death of Hitler at rather German embassy.

[@davidsandz2186]

Yup...I'm Glasgow born and bred, am a Rangers supporter but, like Alex, I've always been on the Irish republic's side...the Irish people have suffered for centuries under British domination...along with a cruelly corrupt Roman Catholic Church...but not anymore, they have shaken off both these "organisations" and are now a free and independent country enjoying the fruits that that freedom gives them. On your first point...I remember a conversation I had many years ago, when I was a teenager, with my Uncle Jack who had been a Commando during WW2.....I was saying how disappointed I was that Ireland had been neutral during that war...he angrily lnterrupted me saying "listen son, thousands of young Irish lads came over and joined British regiments in order to fight the fascist bastards"...those were his exact words and I've never forgotten them...a lesson well learnt.

[@kommissar.murphy]

"Dear Hitler, sorry for your loss,lol.THanks for not invading us, Dev"

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

De Valera also organized a minute’s silence in the Irish Houses of Parliament upon the death of Roosevelt the week before. There were also a lot of crash landings in Ireland during the war, with German pilots being interned in prison camps, while British pilots were allowed to “escape” to Northern Ireland. Dev also sent fire brigades from Dublin to Belfast to douse the fires after the blitz up there. History is often complicated.

[@davestover1584]

Love the big fella we need him back

[@normanashe]

Agree with fergie in his assessment of Michael Collins & De Valera. Very knowledgeable on Irish history.

[@Moonsabie]

my Irish uncles did the fighting in ww2 with the Americans they where McDonnell's. drafted to fight but still they did.

[@irishelk3]

I used to watch football and supported Liverpool, no interest in it at all anymore, but I always admired him and he made Man united seem a very seductive team that always looked like they were having all the glory and the most fun, and made every other team look totally boring, probably why all the best players went there... An intelligent man who worked his team like a great military strategist.

[@irishelk3]

@@WakaWaka2468 You're the second person to ask me that haha. They're good, the spirit world is alive and well, and that is 100% true.

[@MrWhothefoxthat]

my great great grandfathers shop was destroyed in Dublin because of the troubles. the young ones today can not comprehend the commitment and passion of the old Irish people.

[@hirepgym6913]

Mick was my dads cousin i still have something he used the family hardly mentioned him but always smiled when they did .

[@tacobell6826]

With respect to Sir Alex, the fact that Collins was used as a sacrifice by the cowardly De Valera is pretty much universally acknowledged; especially in Ireland.

[@shredder9536]

It's ahistorical nonsense. De Valera told them to report back to Dublin before signing anything

[@Minime163]

@@shredder9536 why didn't develara go and nigoate the treaty himself then the jellyfish he was president it was his duty but he shirked it and wheather he meant to or not started the civil war with his noncence. Collins and Griffith were never going to get a republic and he knew it plus partition was more or less a foregone conclusion but instead of facing up to reality he made scapegoats of Collins and the rest of the treaty signatories.

[@shredder9536]

@@Minime163 De Valera previously went to London and rejected more or less the same terms. And they were to report back to him before signing so it wasn't a set up. That tactic was to relieve pressure on the team in London. We already had a Republic declared by the Irish people . It had a parliament, courts, police and army. The free staters dismantled every institution and when it came to the army it meant war.. Collins started the civil war and was armed by Britain to do their dirty work

[@davidmurphy8480]

God bless us Irish !

[@robcampbell6320]

God bless Ireland. Michael Collins is a true hero. If only Scots had the same courage.

[@shredder9536]

Collins was shot for taking Oath to the King and collaborated with the British government. He died a traitor

[@robcampbell6320]

@@shredder9536 I was not aware of that. Was this ever proved or was it to cover the political jockeying within the IRA leadership. Perhaps my view of Michael Collins was to a large extent influenced by my grandfather who thought very highly of Michael Collins.

[@Coughlan1916]

Absolute fantastic AF

[@charliew19921]

Does anybody know of/have the full Ferguson interview or know where to find it?

[@bacfrere]

alex f mentions the film - when the wind shakes the barley - great film/ recommended

[@bobdylanger3022]

Freewheeling Frere just watched it on utube last night.. great film!

[@claddaghclare22]

Its heart wrenching ... Sobbed.

[@harryclarke3217]

Very knowledgeable about our history .............impressive especially coming from his background.

[@nigelkavanagh2048]

Well said sir and well read.

[@philipocallaghan4778]

I always had great respect for Alex Ferguson real old school came up playing part time football and serving his apprenticeship eventually playing for the Rangers, always spoke well about Celtic, his mother was a practicing catholic,but decided for his sake there was better opportunities being raised a protestant in Glasgow back then. After retiring from professional football he went into managing 3rd division club's in Scotland and eventually breaking the old firm stranglehold of Scottish football with Aberdeen. Funny when Manchester United approached him the financial offer was less than what Aberdeen were paying him. 🍀⚽️🇮🇪💚🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@KryptonitetoallBS]

All accurate apart from the financial offer. He increased his salary from Aberdeen when he started @ United.

[@thehighlander4771]

James Henderson hope you have one for that comment

[@trainsandbusesirelandandbeyond]

I think this is incredible. Especially the way he played for Rangers in his life and supports them🇮🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@ThefightingCelt]

Sir Alex's " love " of Rangers Football Club waned after he was made the scapegoat for their 1969 Scottish Cup Final 4-0 defeat by Celtic . He didn't kick another ball for Rangers after that match , but firmly believes that the real reason he was ostracized was due to fact that he had married a Roman Catholic , which was frowned upon by the pro protestant club .

[@andrewmcmaster6364]

Fergusons time as a player with Rangers ended because he wasn't good enough. No other reason. Rangers had several players around that time who were married to Catholics. Rangers were looking for better players than Ferguson and the fact his career went downhill after leaving shows that Rangers made the correct decision.

[@thomasferguson3061]

@@andrewmcmaster6364 name one

[@smallfeet4581]

@@ThefightingCelt jock stein was a prod which is why the club was going to get rid of him but they were forced to rethink on that and kept him ,

[@francishealy2956]

@@andrewmcmaster6364 That's rubbish Ferguson said in his book he should have to rangers to get to fuck

[@HardcoreIrishhistory]

Thank you Alex.

[@lithiummano]

I love this man so much

[@johnsparkjm]

Excellent interview, with the recognition of the struggle “prior the civil war for this comment” , against a force that was indeed ruthless, barbaric ,toxic and of a power hungry ideology for centuries , I hope he visits as he will be very much welcomed to Béal na Bláth and Glasnevin cemetery by all Irish people or respecting people alike

[@ronalddunne3413]

as the song asks: "Who was the man that gave the command for to shoot the brave Michael Collins?".. Answer is simple: The slinking little dictator- the man who ran away to America while Collins stood and fought- Eamon de Valera

[@johnoneill9781]

Ronald Dunne O

[@stephenmcdonagh6303]

Dev tried to stop the assassination but he hadn’t got the authority, with them being rivals on opposing side why would anyone expect Dev to call round to him and give him a heads up? The people who lived through these times elected Dev for two terms as president

[@claddaghclare22]

Ye he had a part in it for sure albeit not directly as a Machiavellian character; he simply sat back and let events unfold which were ultimately unfavourable to Collins. Develera was also in the area on the same day.

[@ShaneC27]

He knows his Irish history

[@briancox3050]

I have a lot of respect for the great Alex Ferguson as a Man Utd fan for many years. I knew some time ago that he was into Irish history. I also find that subject interesting and as a Republican and one that has travelled to many parts of the Republic and got to know it's people well over a period of 30 years, good friendly communities living in a free democracy these days much unlike the struggles of the bad old days of 1916/ 1922 up until it's Independence. Hat's off to the brave hero Michael Collins, and for me Alex you are not far behind him in terms of passion & greatness.

[@tankc6474]

Michael Collins irish hero and legend rest in peace 💚

[@shredder9536]

Irish traitor he took oath to the king and empire

[@albionmyl7735]

🙏🇩🇪❤️

[@tankc6474]

@@albionmyl7735 respect to Germany 🇩🇪 👏

[@Minime163]

The only real leader Ireland ever really had R.I.P Mick.

[@tankc6474]

@@Minime163 👍💚

[@bascet1]

Why wasn't De Velera there? Has that ever been answered? Collins and Griffiths were put in an impossible position.

[@lovablesnowman]

Because DeVelera knew that the British would never offer an independent 32 county Ireland and didn't want to take the blame. He was a snake who started a civil war which killed nearly every major leader of the time.

[@antseanbheanbocht4993]

+bascet1 It is speculation at this point as to why De Valera did not go, but there are several possibilities. As president of Dail Eireann De Valera felt it was beneath him to be at the negotiating table as head of the Irish government. I am not sure whether he thought it was beneath him personally or if he believed it was beneath the office of the president of Dail Eireann itself ? He also said it was best that the British know that the real power to accept the treaty was at home in Ireland with himself and the provisional government, the plenipotentiaries could use this as leverage to get a better deal. It must be noted that even though the Irish delegation had been imbued with powers of plenipotentiary, they were under strict instructions from Dev not to sign without Dail approval. Many people dont realize that Dev had already been to see Lloyd George earlier in the year and he knew then himself that a Republic was not on the table. De Valera also had a huge ego, and there is no doubt in my mind that he would have went had he thought recognition of the Republic was on offer. We all know why he sent Collins, he even tried to send Collins to America to get him out of the way but Collins wouldn't go. Collins really was no match for De Valera in the political arena, De valera ran rings around him, and ultimately destroyed him.

[@1798UnitedIrishMen]

+bascet1 first of all this talk of a 32 county republic had been off the cards long long before Collins ever held any position of power so the idea of that's why the civil war happened is hog wash. The civil war came about due to the fact the oath to the monarchy and dominion status. the six counties where unionist and that had been know since before the rising in 1916, carson ensure of that. So to the question of why did Dev send Collins, the Answer simply is Dev didn't want to be a signintory of the treaty. He knew fully that the republic was a pipe dream at that time. Dev knew full well people who'd been fighting a hard, harsh and bloody battle would not accept deminion status, thus why knew better than to put his name to it. Dev was a sly for lack of better words a fucking bastard, he goosed stepped many people into a civil war including my own great grand parents knowing full well he'd turn coat them too. Sure enough he did and in doing that created the most corrupt political party Ireland ever has had and still to this day corruption is rife within FF. So what does this mean? Basically I believe Dev knew full well what he was doing, he loathed the fact the Irish people looked at collins in such a shining light and was not afraid to go to seriously low levels to get rid of him. Why do I say this you might ask? first point is setting up FF. Second point he went after anti treaty IRA with more vigure than the free state ever did before, so basically Dev wanted Collins to do the hard work, then when the time was right, step out of the shadows and take power for himself, and he did just that.

[@bdlb100]

+Crimhthan Mor no dev was just a coward who sent a gunman to do what he should have done

[@antseanbheanbocht4993]

bdlb100 Coward ? He did fight in Bolands mills though, and was next in line for execution wasnt he? what say you of that ? Surely not cowardly.

[@Themedusatouch89]

I'm a Liverpool fan....means nothing in this conversation.....but love Fergusons attitude to Collins and Irish history here.100%

[@johnnypatrickhaus890]

Jaysus. Never knew himself was so well versed on Irish history. Fair play. Maith thú.

[@freespirit906]

SAF is a legend

[@tonyh7994]

What a man 🇮🇪 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@christineusher6204]

A man that won't take responsibility, just blame the English and the irish will forget we werent involved.

[@siofra3819]

Alot of people forget that Alex Fergusons Mother was an Irish Catholic from Enniskillen

[@davidhughes9299]

Very interesting!

[@ro876]

Brilliant Alex huge respect for this . He certainly knows his stuff

[@craigthomson3941]

He's 100% right about Dev.

[@spritualelitist665]

WB Yeats is a fascinating Irish figure and poet. An Irish nationalist, a staunch Protestant and pagan but believed in a free Ireland. As a proud Englishmen I have a lot of respect for these types of men. It's a shame we don't have figures and men like this now. It's also a pity what the Irish government has done to Ireland, same for Britain as well.

[@jmccullough662]

How can you be a staunch Protestant *and* a pagan?

[@22keebo]

Amazing

[@speedster2464]

Fergusons position on De Valera is of course correct, as an American I feel he felt he had more to prove than the Irish born. Had Collins and the Dail be permitted to operate then the partition of the island may have been reviewed and redressed, but the Civil War and the continued anti British/N.I. activities by the IRA have only created more division down through the decades.

[@noodlyappendage6729]

de Valera was also an American.

[@Minime163]

The northern unionists even today hate everything to do with Ireland with a passion nobody can lead or drive them because they mistrust and hate the British government too they just hide behind their false brand of Britishness to keep them out of a United Ireland in reality they neither want the Irish or British they just want their own statelette where they can have everything their own way and put everyone who disagrees with them under foot.

[@jgdooley2003]

The split affected my own family in that my father opted for one side of the treaty split and my uncle opted for the other. Luckily they became adults in the 1950's but the shadow of the civil war lasted right up to my lifetime in the 60's and 70's and is only now being cast aside in politics.

[@shredder9536]

It's still there I hate the pro treaty traitors

[@alankinsella3690]

2 great leaders.👍👍🇮🇪💚☘

[@time4change878]

Hi A friend of mine was very close to Alex in his playing days at Dunfermline and from what he told me Alex always was a very astute thinker. I myself am a proud Englishman of protestant descent. That does not make me a supporter in any way of the British establishment. I know that the Irish history is a complex one and easy answers only exist in bigoted simple thinking. Showing support for the rights of people who act in a way that we would not always agree with or even feel comfortable with is the only way forward that offer the hope of lasting peace. I did hear a statement once that went something like I may disagree with what you say but I would fight and die for your right to say it. Peace needs more than compromise. It needs acceptance. I hope one day Ireland can be united through acceptance of the right to be different.

[@jamesmurphy4021]

People generally do not not know the true story behind DeValera. They are not told the full uncensored truth. He was responsible for a lot of misery in Ireland. If people knew the whole truth they would be ashamed as l am for what he said and did in our name.

[@RC-fi8nn]

Could you elaborate on this?

[@rivolinho]

Anyone who knows Ferguson's managerial methods knows that full control and an invasive knowledge of his player's lives, particularly their social lives, was a big aspect of his approach. I think Collins' spy network in pre civil war Dublin would have intrigued him for that reason alone! I think he called it on Dev too. Collins' himself said he was " just a soldier" and unsuitable for brokering deals in a political snake pit. Dev was a political snake of the highest order, and what do all political snakes do to power rivals to this very day..... they get rid of them. The question is, did Dev make the ultimate call in that in order to secure his coveted power.

[@comhan1888]

agreeded

[@laurenmurphy6648]

I find it very interesting how collins said the treaty gives us freedom to achieve freedom which is very true ireland is very close to unification

[@pato2200]

+Lauren Murphy yes I believe you are right. Collins realised it was best to accept what was offered as the alternative was nothing. the Zionists accepted a tiny state in 1947 whereas the Arabs rejected it. since then they in abba ebans words have never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity. the Israelis understood history. if De valera had backed Collins, all three objectives might have been realised in time.

[@togmufc]

Will you stop .FFS 😁😋

[@EIREriddick13]

Ferguson yea fucking legend A+

[@jamiewalsh9184]

As a Liverpool fan i have to say fair fucks fergie !! A fan of Michael Collins cant believe im only discovering this now

[@eugeneoneill2010]

irishness and rc through and through ,dublin eire

[@odonnchada9994]

💚

[@alangregg6337]

De Valera was an opportunistic so and so. He dropped Collins in it because he knew he would never be able to come back with the 32 county republic. Collins was sent to take the fall.

[@shredder9536]

What nonsense, the 32 County Republic wasn't sitting over in London for someone to bring it home. The 32 County Republic was functioning from 1919, the All-Ireland Dail, police courts and army. Collins went to war to destroy it armed by the British. A traitor if there ever was one

[@cigh7445]

@@shredder9536 Functioning underground, with zero control over the unionist majority areas in northern Ireland. Fighting a successful guerilla war against the British army in areas that were Irish and nationalist was one thing, to do the same against the British army in majority unionist areas, heavily armed unionists I might add (the British never tried to prevent them from getting guns the way they did for the IVF), would have been a huge ask.

[@martinweiss3054]

Alan Gregg Machiavellian! PS Check out backtobasicsradio.com- excellent Christian teaching!

[@pgrothschild]

@@liamb5546 and in the end you all fought in vain seeing how the EU has now ensured Irishmen and women will become a minority in their own country by 2050.

[@lukeotoole6970]

Boy Racer good god the ignorance

[@user-sp2le5kx9f]

More to Alex than you think. Good man Alex.

[@eoinmaguire6691]

Fair play Fergie the big fella was sent there by Dev as a scapegoat, Ur both legends in my book 4 obviously very different reasons 👍🇮🇪🇮🇪

[@Fiannoigisland]

"ye did nothing but change. the colour of. the flag".......wind that shakes the barley.... best quote

[@nev7711]

Brilliant interview with Sir Alex. I've had the feeling De Valera rode on anti-British sentiment to be popular. I'm so glad Ireland is moving on and relationships with the ordinary people of Britain continue to grow. Would Michael Collins have signed the book of condolence at the German Embassy in Dublin when Adolf Hitler died in 1945? Please correct me, as I'm sure De Valera did!

[@imedi]

I doubt it Collins didn't hate Churchill the way dev did .. Dev expressing is condolences to Germany on the death of hitler was as much to do with giving two fingers to Churchill as feeling any sympathy for Germany ultimately a bad move give what the world was at that stage beginning to find out what Hitler did during the war

[@ranica47]

What does "moving on" mean? To me it's a pithy phrase that some people say to excuse a lack of interest in, or understanding of, history. Knowing one's nation's history is no bad thing, doesn't necessarily make one hate citizens of our former colonial masters. Pushing aside our history for convenience sake in an attempt to appear more world wise and sophisticated is just sad, an abdication of our citizenry. Would you expect English people not to celebrate their history? French? American? Not likely. Is "moving on" simply a euphemism for "we're lesser than other countries, we should be ashamed of our past and denigrate it in order to be modern?"

[@nev7711]

@@ranica47 Well everything that lives will 'move on' to whatever future it brings. It was not a phrase that was meant to be 'pithy'. The founders of the Irish nation would be proud of how many young Irish people embraced education to make the Ireland of today.

[@ranica47]

@@nev7711 Fair enough, from your point of view. Usually when it's used it's in conjunction with "holding on to the past" "stupid republicanism" "we don't need to be united, let it go" etc. Too much kowtowing to unionism. I 100% acknowledge their right to their cultural past and preference but they are big time guilty of absolute denial of nationalists preference in the North. "A protestant state for protestant people" was often used as if a majority meant the absolute non existence of the minority. Tbh they're only the majority in Antrim, Down and Armagh, the east of NI, Fermanagh, Derry and Tyrone are majority nationalist even though that's not always politically obvious because of gerrymandering.

[@Minime163]

I could be completely wrong but I believe that Collins would have brought Ireland into ww2 he wasn't like develara he wanted to develope and industerilise the country and would probably believe that helping Britain and America in the war would have helped this idea. Develara had a romantic poets idea of Ireland and kept it backwards by making the church a partner in running this state which kept the people in poverty and brought mass immigration as my father often said develara ruined Ireland and he should have knowen most of his generation had to immigrate.

[@bmccallum2409]

Great vid.

[@shamshams8961]

Respect

[@woodenpudden]

He mentioned that Dev refused to join the war.... We need to remember that the Brits lied to us before around home rule if we joined their wars and we were their cannonfodder.

[@mmw4990]

Great point. I think he probably would have stayed neutral regardless of that though if I'm being honest

[@neilmccormick2064]

Yeah but it wasn't just about fighting on the British side was it . WWII was essentially about standing up to the nazism and fascism that was sweeping across Europe crushing everything in its path. clearly that situation was a existential threat to everyone, including Ireland. It's naive to think Hitler would have left Ireland alone had he successfully invaded the UK. He would have invaded Ireland too without hesitation .

[@neilmccormick2064]

Neutrality wasn't a realistic option during WWII, you just have to look at what Hitler did to other neutral European countries like Holland etc,he didn't give a shit about their neutral status.

[@momeara7482]

@@neilmccormick2064 Of course neutrality was a realistic option during WWII - as Ireland proved. Switzerland proved it too.

[@rogerarthur9231]

A point about Ireland and neutrality in WW2, after the end of the war the british government said that "Ireland pushed the limits on neutrality in supporting the Allied cause as far as it was possible while staying neutral"

[@tomhinds14]

Are there any other Interviews/Documentary’s that describe fully this period in Irish history ?

[@TroopyLife]

Tom Hinds The movie ‘Michael Collins’ played by Liam Nesson is a good watch for a starting point.

[@shooterblaze1]

None without a heavy bias on the republican side of things...

[@mickshan98]

@@shooterblaze1 and where are you from? Other than the Irish sources it would seem that the Irish were terrorists. If you know what was really going on you'd know that the British oppressed the native Irish for 800 years before the left, and they never left the North. Foreign occupation leading to rebellion is inevitable and he who sides with the oppressor is as good as the oppressor, so know the Irish fighting was for freedom

[@shooterblaze1]

@@mickshan98 whatever you thing, youd be nothing without the U.K. and that's facts im from Clonmel but live in Edinburgh just for your perspective

[@mickshan98]

@@shooterblaze1 I don't mean to sound rude but in what way? That would not be a popular opinion in Ireland. I know this is naive of me but I feel like the Irish were known as a peaceful civilization before the British did arrive, and were even known to have high knowledge druids, and high priests that were beneficial to society. It was the British who had a big hand to play in the famine by shipping our crops to feed their soldiers elsewhere,

[@normanashe]

Fergusion assessment of Collins & De Valera is spot on

[@lochlainnmacneill2870]

Good man.....

[@JoanBcollins]

I am an ancestor of Michael Collins... So my Auntie in Cork says! .. Not long ago I watched a documentary, that was made in the 70s , it was banned at the time. Fascinating! Hang out your Colours I think it's called..

[@bacfrere]

+Joan Collins i doubt you are an ancestor - you would need to be well over 100 years old! i will try to find hang out ur colours

[@thecoolone82]

+Freewheeling Frere why do you doubt she could be an ancestor?

[@ShatteringIllusions1]

+thecoolone82 Because an ancestor is born before. Joan means she is a descendant.

[@thecoolone82]

ShatteringIllusions1 i totally missed that one haha, thanks

[@noodles1916]

+Joan Collins Collins in your name? Yep, an ancestor.

[@ohno2112]

another ggreat movie is The Treaty !

[@alcoyne3333333333333]

As a Liverpool fan . Now I can admire Alex. And this has made me a little bit of a fan

[@genedouglas8617]

Thank God for the learned.