Michael Collins ‘murder mystery’ show coming to Cork

Thu, 19 Aug, 2021 - 16:02

Maeve Lee

HISTORICAL entertainer Paddy Cullivan is depicting the death of Michael Collins with his latest live show, on the 99th anniversary of the killing.

Writer and performer Cullivan will take to the stage on Sunday, August 22, with The Murder of Michael Collins. The show will incorporate visuals, songs, and various theories surrounding the killing, as Cullivan works to solve the mystery and get to the heart of what happened at Béal na Bláth.

Describing the show, Cullivan said it is a “theatrical presentation of a murder mystery”.

Going through the various theories, he disproves some elements that, he said, were taken as read up until now.

“I go through all of the theories, and I do it in an entertaining way and a visual way,” Cullivan said.

“I’m trying to get to the heart of what happened, because we’re a year away from the centenary and, for some reason, there has been this incredible cover-up or hesitancy to even talk about it or deal with it from an official level.” Being a “huge fan” of Michael Collins, Cullivan always had an interest in the topic and, in 2016, he began researching “odd fallacies and odd elements” of the revolutionary period.

“One of them was the murder of Michael Collins and, as I dug deeper into it, it became a show in itself and, efficiently, I did two online shows about it, but this is my first live show,” he said.

Following those online shows during the pandemic, he is excited to bring The Murder of Michael Collins to a live audience. The live show takes place in O’Mahony’s of Watergrasshill on Sunday, August 22, marking the 99th anniversary of the death of Collins.

Cullivan said: “I think next year should not be about talking about his death, it should be about talking about his life and if we don’t solve the crime before then, if we don’t solve the mystery, then that is all anybody will talk about.”