The Illustrated Life of Michael CollinsThe memory of Michael Collins still resonates throughout Irish history nearly 75 years after his death. He was a powerful, vigorous man whose charm, intelligence, and physical attractiveness - as well as his oratorical powers - propelled him to the forefront of the Irish fight for independence from Britain and the subsequent treaty negotiations. As guerilla leader, Collins destroyed the British intelligence system in Ireland, acquiring a heroic reputation among his countrymen. He effectively drafted the constitution of the Irish Free State and founded the Irish army, becoming its first commander-in-chief. The Illustrated Life of Michael Collins is a unique visual biography, lavishly illustrated with photographs and documents from Collins's country upbringing in West Cork, where he was instilled with a patriotic fervor by a local blacksmith, to his death at age 31 in an ambush during the Irish Civil War of 1922. The book also portrays the other, more romantic side of the man, with photos of his fiancee, Kitty Kiernan, and Lady Hazel Lavery, with whom Collins was reputedly having an affair. |
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ambush armed armoured car arrested arrived Arthur Griffith assassination Auxiliaries Bandon barracks barricade Béalnabláth Black and Tans Breen Brigade British army British soldiers Broy building bullet Cairo Gang Civil coffin colleagues Commandant Connolly conscription convoy Cork City Dáil death delegation died door Dublin Castle Eamon de Valera Emmet Dalton escorted fellow fighting fire Flying Column Frongoch funeral gaol Granard gunmen Harry Boland headquarters Hotel intelligence IRA officer Ireland Irish nation Irish Parliamentary Party Irish Republic Irish Republican Brotherhood Irish Volunteers Irregulars killed Kitty Kiernan later Lavery leaders Liam Lieutenant Lloyd George London Longford Lord French lorry machine gun McKee Michael Collins military morning Neligan O'Connell Padraic Pearse photographed Plunkett Police Station prison raids rebel rifles road Sean secret shot dead side Sinn Féin spies Tipperary told the author Treaty troops Twelve Apostles unit Vinnie Byrne West Cork wounded