Drive Michael Collins Ireland

There are many sites in Ireland associated with Michael Collins, with most of the most famous sites in Co Cork. Each year a gathering takes place at Béal na Bláth, on a country lane, where Micahel Collins was shot in an ambush on 22.08.1922.  We recommend starting the trip in Cork to visit sites there and then finishing the journey in Dublin at sites associated with Michael Collins. He was born in Woodfield, west of Clonakilty in 1890 and was 30 years of age when he died. 

Who was Michael Collins? 

• He finished school having passed exams at 15 and emigrated to London where he worked in the Postal Service and lived there for 10 years.
• Collins was an undercover agent who ‘won the war on a bicycle.  He could move freely around Dublin as the British Army had no photo of him. He developed a system of Guerilla warfare against the British Forces
• Michael Collins’s portrait is of him in an Irish Army uniform, but he only wore the uniform for 6 weeks of his life!
• He was referred to as the ‘Big Fella’ and was the first Commander-in-Chief for the Irish National Forces. He set up the present-day Irish Army.
• Michael Collins was a politician and passionate orator. His party was pro-treaty, which he negotiated in  London, the present-day party he formed is called Fine Gael. Collins was a Statesman, Minister for Home Affairs and Finance, and was an excellent administrator.
• The Film Micahel Collins from 1996 written and directed by  Neil Jordan starring Liam Neason portrayed his life and time is worth watching before your visit.

  

Cork 

Cork City 

Cork City Museum in Fitzgerald Park

Cork City Museum is in Fitzgeralds Park, near the University in Cork city. The museum is about 10 mins walk from the city center or parking on street beside the museum, with city parking discs. Museum entry is free, open Tue to Fri 10-16,00 and Sat 11- 16.00 and closed Sunday and Mondays.  The museum has an excellent small exhibition on the Civil War and has some Michael Collins memorabilia found upstairs in the museum. 

Phone 353 21 427 0679

Collins Barrick Museum Cork

In Cork city at the top of Patrick Hill is a small museum in Collins Barracks Cork opened in 1985 in the Old Guard Room and is open weekdays 10 am to 13.00 weekdays.  The Museum tells the story of General Michael Collins and contains a significant amount of artifacts from this period including uniforms ( great coast, rosary beads, diary, and independence medal) presented by his family. Contact on the Curator on the following number to make an appointment to view Phone          353 (0)21 4514252, updates on Twitter 

Imperial Hotel Cork

The Imperial Hotel is one of Cork city’s premier hotels in a Victorian building on the South Mall Cork. The hotel was recently refurbished and on the 100th anniversary of Micahel Collins’s death, they unveiled a portrait of him in the lobby by the reception desk. Micahel Collins spent the last night of his life in room 101 of this hotel, before his fateful trip to west Cork in 1922.  Have a drink here, a meal take part in a Tapas Trail, or stay overnight. 

Michael Collins Trail West Cork

The Michael Collins Trail is a driving route of the important sites of Micahel Collins’s last day. The route will take about 1/2 day to drive but give yourself a full day to allow for stopping at sites, and occasionally getting lost on country lanes. Cork Co Council has done an excellent job of signposting the route from the main sites. 

From Cork city take the N22 from Cork city for Macroom and from this route it is cross country following the route Michael Collins took, signposted by Cork Co Council with the distinctive signs.  Take a left for Coachford and Béal na Bláth, turn left at the filling station and the Beal na Bláth memorial is about 2 km along this road. The site has been developed with car parking and a modern Valentia Slate stone surrounding the site. The Site itself is marked with a white marker stone to the right of the Celtic cross.

• Beal na Bláth to Clonakilty –  distance 28 km 45 mins drive. From Béal na Bláth continue on R585 and follow signs to right on a narrower road towards Ennikeane. The village of Enniskeane is entered, turn right, and almost immediately left to continue on R588 to Lyre and into Clonkanilty. In Clonakilty turn left to the center of town and the Michael Collins House on a pretty victorian Square. If have no parking here continue to the main link road and car park, about 5 minutes walk to the House. 

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  Michael Collins House,  7 Emmet Square, Clonakilty – in the center of Clonakilty is Micahel Collins House, dedicated to General Michael Collins, his life family and is the best exhibition on Michael Collins. Guided tours of the house are available and tickets need to be pre-purchased, open daily from 9 am to 6 pm.  Wheelchair access, the museum is family-friendly and has parking on the link road, on the edge of Clonakilty

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  Homeplace in Woodfield – From Clonakilty to Homeplace in Woodfield, 10 mins drive west of Clonakilty. Drive west towards Skibbereen and about 6 km west of Clonakilty in Lissavard turn at the main sign past the Cooperative store. Don’t be fooled by earlier signs which take you up byroads.  The 2nd left turn on a bend to the Micheal Collins Homeplace is often missed as hedging grows over the signs. The Homeplace on a narrow country lane is about 1km along this narrow lane and is a nice conclusion to the drive. Parking and picnic area here. 
• For those who want to go to Roscarberry about 10km west of the Homeplace, where Michael Collins’s family is buried in the family grave. In the village is a statue to commemorate  Michael Collins, O Donovan Rossa in the square. 

Kildare

Military Museum Curragh,  Co Kildare 

The Rolls Royce armored car driven as part of General Michael Collins convoy at Beal na mBláth is renovated and on display in this museum –  the car called Sliabh na mBan. There is also a Churchill Tank, Comet tank, and other military cars. Open 10 am to 15.00  Mon to Thursday – but phone in advance to 353 45  445342 

Note – The Military Barrick’s in the Curragh is only 5 mins drive off the M7, exit no … between Newbridge and Kildare. Nearby is the National Stud in Kildare

Dublin 

Collins Barracks Museum is in  Dublin city, accessed via the Luas from the city center, and is 1 stop before Heuston Railway Station.

The Museum has the Decorate Arts and History section of the National Museum in a large victorian army barracks. There is a permanent Irish War from 1919 to 1923. There are also exhibitions on the 1916 Proclamation, Thre Great Famine, Money in Ireland, Irish Sliver exhibitions, clothing through the ages, and many more exhibitions.  Open Day  01 677 7444 and entry is free

Glasnevin Cemetery

The Funeral for Micahel Collins was reported in the New York Times on 29/08/1922 as “In the gloomy Pro-Cathedral, a requiem mass for the soul of the dead General was celebrated by high church dignitaries.” 

Michael Collins was buried in a military ceremony in Glasnevin Century, Dublin and his grave is one of the most visited sites in the National Graveyard. Flowers are often left by visitors and the grave is just beside the cafe and information site at the graveyard which has guided tours of the famous people buried here – a very interesting way to get to know Ireland’s history. 

What to Have A Trip Organized?

Contact Activity Days for a day in Cork or a trip to Ireland to include Michael Collins sites as part of the trip. Let us know your requirements at team@activitydays.ie