Réponse : Michael Collins ( Irish Mícheal Ó Coileàin ; 16 October 1890 -22 august 1922 ) was an lrish revolutionary , soldier and politician who was a leading figure in the early-20th century struggle for lrish independence . He was Chairman of the Provisional Governement of the lrish Free State From January 1922 , and commander in-chief of the National Army from July until his death in an ambush in August 1922, during the Civil War .