Tánaiste Simon Harris unveils the 1919 Triumph motorcycle that led General Michael Collins' convoy on its fateful tour of inspection through Beal na mBlath in August 1922. Included at the Michael Collins Centre in Clonakilty are descendents of General Collins and Dominic Smith, the great-grandson of the motorcycle outrider, Lt John Joseph Smith. Lt Smith survived the ambush despite being shot in the neck.

Tánaiste Simon Harris unveils the 1919 Triumph motorcycle that led General Michael Collins’ convoy on its fateful tour of inspection through Beal na mBlath in August 1922. Included at the Michael Collins Centre in Clonakilty are descendents of General Collins and Dominic Smith, the great-grandson of the motorcycle outrider, Lt John Joseph Smith. Lt Smith survived the ambush despite being shot in the neck.

THE motorcycle which led the ‘Big Fella’ General Michael Collins on his fateful final tour has been unveiled at the museum dedicated to his memory.

Tánaiste Simon Harris unveiled the 1919 Triumph Model H which led General Collins’ convoy as it was ambushed at Béal na mBláth in west Cork in August 1922 at the height of the Civil War.