The story of a charismatic rebel who inspired Irish people to seek independence. From the bestselling author of The Squad comes the story of a charismatic rebel who undermined the British government and inspired Irish people to seek independence.
In this completely revised and updated book, T. Ryle Dwyer, offers a fresh perspective on Collins' activities. With new information about his role in organising the IRB in London in his youth right through to his death in 1922, Dwyer's analysis supports the case for Collins as the chief architect of the Irish victory over the British Empire.
Michael Collins was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for Finance and MP for Cork South in the first Dáil of 1919. He was Director of Intelligence for the IRA and a member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations. During the Civil War, Michael Collins was Chairman of the Provisional Government and commander-in-Chief of the Free State Army. He was shot and killed in August 1922 during the Irish Civil War. Collins co-ordinated the sweeping Sinn Féin election victory of 1918 and put structure on the organisation of the IRA. He was the prototype of the urban terrorist and the architect of the war against the Black and Tans. While many have questioned whether Collins ever fired a shot at an enemy of Ireland, he did order the deaths of people standing in his way, and he even advocated kidnapping a US President. T. Ryle Dwyer is a historian and journalist. He took his PhD at the University of North Texas and lives in County Kerry. He has written many books, notably on the period of the War of Independence and the Civil War, and on Éamon De Valera and Michael Collins. He is also an expert on relations between Ireland and the Allies during the Second World War. His most recent titles with Mercier Press are: I Signed My Death Warrant - Michael Collins and the Treaty, The Squad, Tans, Terror and Troubles: Kerry's Real Fighting Story and an acclaimed biography of Jack Lynch, Nice Fellow.
