Mick Clifford: End of an era as woman who was last link to Ireland's revolutionary leaders dies at 105

Elizabeth Berney's father was Richard Mulcahy, 1916 veteran and right hand man to Michael Collins and later leader of Fine Gael, and her mother Min Ryan from a famous Wexford family which played a prominent role in the revolutionary period and in the State thereafter

Elizabeth Berney, at age 99, with a painting by AE Russell which was given as a wedding gift by Countess Marckievicz to her parents Min Ryan and Richard Mulcahy, founding member of Cumann na nGaedheal and later leader of Fine Gael. Picture: Moya Nolan

An era came to an end last Tuesday, when Elizabeth Berney died in her 105th year. She was the last surviving child of any of the revolutionary leaders who formed what became the Irish Free State in 1922.

Her father was Richard Mulcahy, revolutionary, 1916 veteran and right hand man to Michael Collins, whom he succeeded as commander in chief of the national army when Collins was killed.