Successive writers have continually promised to debunk the myths of Michael Collins; including Piaras Béaslaí (1926), Frank O'Connor (1937), Tim Pat Coogan (1991) and Peter Hart (2005). But, as Anne Dolan and William Murphy argue, sometimes the myth matters too much to be debunked. Rather than a narrative biography, Dolan and Murphy offer a thematic deconstruction of the many aspects of Collins's persona.
Two key themes emerge. Firstly, Collins was a typical product of the revolutionary generation that has been analysed by Peter Hart and Roy Foster. His birth into a comfortable farming family and his (seemingly contradictory) participation in both the British civil service and Gaelic revival were not unusual. Like many contemporaries, he used these opportunities to cultivate networks, hone skills and get ahead. Between 1917 and 1918, Collins used a position in the Irish National Aid and Volunteer Dependants’ Fund (I.N.A. & V.D.F.) to make contacts, and in turn, secure jobs for allies, thus building him a formidable profile in the republican movement.
Collins's beliefs were typical of ‘Irish-Ireland.’ His arguments for the Anglo–Irish Treaty in 1922 rested upon a spiritual conception of Irish nationality and were thus ‘every bit as idealistic as the anti-treaty case’ (p. 180). His social outlook was moderately conservative and differed little from Éamon de Valera's Catholic orthodoxy. Though a competent operator, he was not infallible. As a military leader, he made mistakes. The events of Bloody Sunday, 1920, which he orchestrated, failed to completely root out the British intelligence network in Ireland. As a politician, his dismissal of anti-Treatyites in the Dáil as ‘deserters’ revealed ‘very little that was statesmanlike’ (p. 160). Yet, Collins continues to be regarded as an exceptional genius. Why is this so?
The second key theme of this book is thus how ‘the myth of Collins’ has satisfied, and continues to satisfy, various needs. Men of the Irish Republican Army used his justifications for violence, because his justifications turned the ‘awfulness of what they had done into a legitimate type of war’ (p. 107). Collins's ‘genius’ also suited British propaganda. One functionary in Dublin Castle noted ‘If they fail to apprehend criminals, one defence is to say that the criminal is the most astute, astonishing criminal in history’ (p. 96). Commendably, Dolan and Murphy highlight the remarkable extent of Collins's celebrity in both Ireland and Great Britain, even highlighting the appearance of Collins's likeness in a children's fancy dress competition in 1922.
Even in death, the mythology of Collins continues to satisfy various needs. Dolan and Murphy argue that the prevalence of conspiracy theories about his death ‘go to show just how much a straightforward death simply would not do’ (p. 268). His memory remains politicised. State-sponsored commemorations have ebbed and flowed as different Irish governments have taken office. During the Troubles, Collins seemed an uncertain figure, but following the Belfast Agreement, he now seems to offer a suitable precedent of a soldier-turned negotiator. Politicians continue to recruit him for their causes, even those causes for which his support seems dubious and anachronistic.
Dolan and Murphy thus offer a witty and readable account of Collins's persona. The evocative writing style is matched by a wealth of research. Collins's writings, contemporaries’ memoirs, Bureau of Military History statements, the papers of British politicians, and official documents are all utilised effectively. Chapter 2, for instance, draws on the under-explored papers of the I.N.A. & V.D.F., in the National Library of Ireland, to highlight ‘the Collins method’ of building political influence. Sometimes, the detail is just a little overwhelming, and an occasional pause for reflection would have improved the flow of argument. For example, in chapter 2, it would have been helpful to summarise briefly what the ‘Collins method’ actually was.
Other perspectives would also have taken the analysis further. References to contemporaries like Pancho Villa and militant Finnish nationalists, provoke further questions about comparisons between Collins and other nationalist leaders, internationally, in this period. The lavish illustrations demonstrate an enthusiastic engagement with material and visual culture. This highlights further questions about the cultural representation of Collins. But, by raising these fascinating questions, this study succeeds in fulfilling the objective it sets for itself. By deconstructing, rather than debunking, the ‘myth of Mick Collins’, Dolan and Murphy have invigorated the study of a well-worn historical subject.
