Pocket diaries belonging to Michael Collins presented to the State

Pocket diaries belonging to Michael Collins containing details of meetings, events, appointments and other arrangements, often secret in nature, have been donated to the State.

The diaries, which have never been seen publicly before, cover the years 1918-1922.

They provide important additional information relating to a key period in Michael Collins’ life and that of the nation, spanning the War of Independence, the Treaty Negotiations and the Civil War, up to his death in August 1922.

The diaries were presented by relatives of Michael Collins to the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, accompanied by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney, and the Minister of State with responsibility for Office of Public Works (OPW) Patrick O’Donovan at Collin’s birthplace of Woodfield in Clonakilty today.

The five pocket diaries will be on long-term loan to the National Archives where they will undergo conservation and preservation treatment, archival processing and digitisation to enable public access to the diaries.

The National Archives will work with Cork County Council to provide local access to digitised copies of the diaries at the Michael Collins House, Clonakilty as well as an agreed return of the original diaries from August 2022 to mark the centenary of Michael Collins’ death.

Commenting on the significance of the diaries, the Taoiseach said they tell the story of “one of the most turbulent periods in our history through the political and personal day-to-day life of Michael Collins from 1918 to 1922”.

“There are many new discoveries that will be revealed through the diaries which will now become part of the national collection at the National Archives.

“This will allow the public, scholars and researchers to learn much more about the events leading up to and following the foundation of the State.

“We want to thank the Collins family for their generosity in working with the National Archives to ensure the long-term preservation of the diaries,” Mr Martin continued.

The Collins family speaking of the donation said:

“These five work diaries of Michael Collins were given by our grandfather Johnny Collins (Michael Collins' older brother) to his son, our father, Liam Collins.

“We are delighted on his behalf to give these important records to the Irish people through the good offices of the National Archives.

“The family hope to involve Clonakilty in the public presentation of these diaries. This would be very important to our father.

“We are honoured, on our father's behalf, to hand over these historic records to An Taoiseach and to welcome him to Woodfield today, the birthplace of Michael Collins, which our father lovingly reclaimed and preserved and gifted to the State in October 1990.” 

The diaries will now be deposited in the National Archives in Dublin, where work will begin on their conservation and digitisation.