Michael Collins - A Fitting Farewell

A new lavishly illustrated book containing 200 photographs and documents, some published for the first time relating to the part played by General Michael Collins in the 1916 fight for Irish freedom, his negotiation of The Treaty in London's No. 10 Downing St. with Lloyd George and Winston Churchill, and his subsequent death at Béal na mBláth in his native West Cork in 1922.

This is the only book which contains a detailed account of Michael Collins' life as told by a member of his own family, namely another Michael Collins who is a nephew of the hero of Ireland's fight for independence. This Michael Collins has the added distinction of being a son of Nancy O'Brien who was given the task by her employers in the British Post Office of relaying all of the English Government's coded messages through Dublin Castle. Daily she risked her life to smuggle out this vital information to Michael Collins with devastating results.

It includes reprints of "The Sinn Fein Revolt Illustrated" and "Souvenir Album of the Dublin Fighting 1922" as well as features written by such writers as former Irish Government Minister Ms. Sile deValera who is a grand-daughter of former President Eamon deValera, who opposed Michael Collins in the Civil War. Surprisingly her piece is called "Dev and Collins were good pals."

Thousands gathered at the roadside at Béal na mBláth on Sunday 24th August 1997 to commemorate the death of Michael Collins at this spot 75 years earlier.

Among the many documents included in the book are these pages in his own handwriting from Michael Collins' pocket diary which he wrote and signed on the afternoon before he was shot dead at Béal na mBláth.

Ever since the Civil War, there have been many heated debates on whether Michael Collins had the authority to sign the Treaty Agreement with Lloyd George, Winston Churchill and others at No. 10 Downing St. in London.

Now, for the first time, Michael Collins' own copy of the Plenipotentiary Document is published in this book. Here it can be seen that Eamon deValera signed his name to a document which gave the delegation the authority to negotiate and conclude the Treaty.

Anybody with Tipperary connections will be interested in the book FACES & PLACES - Clonmel 1955 - '60, also published by Justin Nelson Productions.

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