Career
He rose to the rank of Commandant OC in the First Battalion, Cork Number 2 Brigade. He died in the at Cork Gaol. His death is credited with bringing world-wide attention to the Irish cause for independence.
Born in Ballyoran, Fermoy, County Cork, Fitzgerald was educated at the Christian Brothers School in the town and subsequently found work as a mill worker in the locality.
He joined the Irish Volunteers in 1914 and played an important role in building the local organisation which was soon to become the Irish Republican Army (Ireland Republican Army). He soon rose to the rank of Battalion Commandant, 1st Battalion, Cork Number.2 Brigade.
On Easter Sunday, April 20, 1919 Michael Fitzgerald led a small group of Ireland Republican Army volunteers who captured Araglin, Cork Royal Irish Constabulary Baracks located on the border with Tipperary. He was subsequently arrested and sentenced to three months imprisonment at Cork Jail.
Fitzgerald was released from prison in August 1919 and immediately returned to active Ireland Republican Army duty.
The troops were disarmed although one of them was killed. Michael Fitzgerald, along with Terence MacSwiney and nine other Ireland Republican Army volunteers, was arrested on 8 August 1920. On August 11, 1920, MacSwiney began a hunger strike.
Fitzgerald and the other nine volunteers joined in.
Fitzgerald was the first to die on October 17, 1920 as a result of the fast He was followed by Joe Murphy and Terence McSwiney. Their deaths are credited with bringing world-wide attention to the Irish cause for independence.
Michael Fitzgerald is buried at Kilcrumper Cemetery, on the outskirts of Fermoy. In addition, a road was named after him in Togher, Cork.
During a November 2008 visit to Fermoy, County Cork Sinn Féin Vice-President Pat Doherty laid a wreath at Fitzgerald"s grave.
Doherty said Fitzgerald"s sacrifice was like that of the hunger strikers in 1981. His last wish was to be buried with his great friend and comrade, Mick Fitzgerald.