Michael Collins and the Squad: Dublin's Assassins of the War of Independence

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dig into the shadowy world of Michael Collins and his elite assassination unit, 'the Squad' or 'the Twelve Apostles,' during the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921). They explore how Collins rebuilt the shattered Irish Republican Brotherhood into a lethal intelligence network, recruiting men like Joe O'Reilly, Mick McDonnell, and Vinny Byrne to execute British agents and informers. The conversation covers the planning and aftermath of Bloody Sunday 1920, when the Squad killed a dozen British intelligence officers in their beds, and the British retaliation later that day at Croke Park. Lucas explains the structure of Collins's intelligence operation, the role of female couriers and safe houses, and the ethical complexities of targeted killing. The episode also touches on the Treaty negotiations and Collins's tragic death in 1922, leaving listeners with a nuanced portrait of a revolutionary who combined violence with political strategy. #MichaelCollins #TheSquad #IrishWarOfIndependence #BloodySunday1920 #CrokePark #Dublin #IRA #IrishRepublicanBrotherhood #Intelligence #Assassination #Revolution #1920s #Ireland #History #FexingoHistory #WarOfIndependence #BlackAndTans #TreatyNegotiations Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo