Family thanked for Collins' diaries

Niamh Áine Ryan

The diaries of Michael Collins are back to his hometown of Clonakilty.

To mark the centenary of the death of Michael Collins, the diaries, which cover the critical time period of 1918 to 1922, will go on public display, for the first time, at the Michael Collins House Museum in Clonakilty.

The diaries were loaned to the National Archives by the descendants of Collins, the family of the late Liam and Betty Collins, Clonakilty. The diaries have undergone significant conservation and preservation treatment, archival processing and digitisation at the National Archives over recent months.

Visitors to the museum will be able to view all 5 diaries on a touchscreen device installed in the Michael Collins House Museum while the 1921 and 1922 diaries in physical form will go on public display for the month of August.

Unveiling the diaries, the Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Danny Collins said: “It is an incredible honour to officially open the exhibition at Michael Collins House. I am thrilled that the first time Michael Collins’ diaries are going on public display is right here in his hometown of Clonakilty. Much has been written about Michael Collins over the last 100 years but there is something so special about seeing his actual words, written by his own hand on the pages of his diaries.

“I would like to congratulate Michael Collins House, the National Archives and the Collins family on coming together to make this possible. I hope the diaries will encourage people from far and wide to visit the museum and Clonakilty as well as inspiring people's interest in history.”

Speaking in advance of the event, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin said: “I am delighted that these diaries have been entrusted into the care of the State and deposited in the National Archives by the family of Michael Collins.

“This is an important year under the Decade of Centenaries 2012-2023 National Programme as we mark the centenary of the Civil War and the deaths of so many men and women, chief amongst them Michael Collins, who played such a significant part during Ireland’s revolutionary period.”

Speaking at the event, Orlaith McBride, Director of the National Archives, said: “The National Archives is very proud to partner with Cork County Council to bring these precious diaries to the Michael Collins House Museum, Clonakilty for public display. In returning the diaries to the place of Collins’ youth, a place that shaped and formed the young revolutionary, we are introducing them to a wider public as an important new primary source material to further our understanding of this significant national figure.”

Helen Collins said: “Michael Collins' older brother Johnny passed these diaries to his son, our dad, Liam Collins. My siblings and I are very pleased on our father's behalf, to place these precious diaries in the care of the National Archive and we are particularly happy to have them exhibited in our father's hometown of Clonakilty. Our grand uncle Michael Collins lived an extraordinary life. The diaries will give the public a much greater understanding of this exceptional and courageous man.”

Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey added: “I would like to thank the Collins family for sharing the precious and valuable diaries with the people of Cork county. It is at their request that the diaries are here at the Council’s Michael Collins House Museum and will return to Clonakilty each year. Their generous donation ensures that the diaries and the fascinating insights they contain are conserved and preserved for future generations.”

Admission to the exhibition is free and the Michael Collins House Museum will extend its opening hours throughout the month of August.

The diaries are presented as part of the Government of Ireland’s Decade of Centenaries 2012-2023 National Programme.