Photo Michael Collins as best man

"This is a family photograph with Michael Collins as best man at Paddy O Donoghue's wedding in UCD on 18th June 1919. Paddy was a 1st cousin to my grandmother and was born in Barraduff in Co.Kerry. He was one of Collin's right hand men in England during the War of Independence and head of the Manchester Ira unit. One of his tasks was to arrange the breakout of Eamon DeValera from Lincoln Prison which was a success. He was arrested after a gun battle in Manchester and sentenced to execution but was saved by the treaty. Paddy was a founding member of Celtic Park and Shelbourne Park greyhound tracks and managed the latter for many years. Violet Gore was a renowned singer and entertainer and raised substantial funds in Irish Cubs throughout England for the IRA. Family history indicates she baked one of the cakes sent into DeValera in prison containing a copy of a master key. The marriage cert contains the signature of Michael Collins."