Kenny and Martin keep friends close and leadership rivals closer, mirroring Collins and Dev

Leaders’ tactics are throwback to those of Dev and Michael Collins, writes Fiachra Ó Cionnaith

ALMOST a century ago, Éamon de Valera sent Michael Collins to negotiate the Anglo-Irish Treaty in London instead of himself.

The move, while highly controversial even today, was the act of a cold-blooded politician on three fronts. If Collins failed, the failure was publicly on de Valera’s adversary. If he succeeded, he was acting on behalf of his leader, who could immediately claim to have masterminded it all.