VIDEO: Diaries of Michael Collins on show in his native Cork

THE diaries of Michael Collins have gone on public display in Clonakilty to mark the fact his assassination took place 100 years ago this month.

They will be on display at the Michael Collins House museum in the town until the end of August.

The diaries were loaned to the State by the Collins family and are in the care of the National Archives, who have digitised them to enable the public to browse all of the diaries that cover the critical period for independence from 1918 to 1922.

Speaking at the official unveiling of the diaries in Clonakilty, Orlaith McBride, Director of the National Archives said: “The diaries were loaned to the State, to the National Archives, in November, 2021.

“The official handover took place at Woodfield in Clonakilty, where the diaries were handed over to the Taoiseach on behalf of the Irish people.”

She said that the National Archives have had the diaries in their possession for the last number of months and preserved them and digitised them and added: “As part of that process, we’ve returned the diaries to Cork and to Clonakilty to mark the centenary of Michael Collins’ death.”

The diaries can be viewed in a digital reader where every one of the entries from 1918 to 1922 can be accessed, and the reader enables visitors to scroll through and browse the diaries day-by-day, week-by-week and month-by-month.

Two of the actual diaries are on public display - the 1921 diary particularly in relation to the treaty negotiations in London and the 1922 diary up until August, 1922, when Michael Collins died.

The Irish revolutionary, soldier and politician was a leading figure in the early-20th century struggle for Irish independence, and was killed in an ambush at Béal na Bláth on August 22, 1922.

Helen Collins, grand-niece of Michael Collins, said: “The diaries were handed back to my grandfather Johnny Collins when Michael Collins died and then Grandy, as we knew Johnny Collins - our grandfather - handed them to my father Liam Collins, who was a solicitor here in Clonakilty.

“He lived and raised his family in Clonakilty for 55 years. So we really, wanted if at all possible, for the diaries to remain in West Cork.

“Obviously, the significance of the historic nature of the documents and the scientific requirements of preservation and conservation really dictated that the diaries had to go to the national archive, and rightly so.

“The National Archive generously and supportively agreed that they would facilitate that the diaries could come in their original form and also in digital form to the Michael Collins House in Clonakilty and we are absolutely thrilled about that,” she added.

Mayor of County Cork, 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 home town 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.”

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.