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• The Collins family, Ronan O’Gara, Jimmy Barry Murphy and Rena Buckley officially launched the statue

Hundreds of people turned out on the Grand Parade Cork City yesterday for the reveal of a highly anticipated new statue of Michael Collins.  It was officially unveiled by Cork legends Ronan O’Gara, Jimmy Barry Murphy and Rena Buckley at the scene of one of Collins’ most famous public orations.  Members of the Collins family and the Michael Collins 100 committee, who spearheaded the initiative, were also in attendance.  

The near lifesize statue depicts Collins standing alongside a bicycle, a nostalgic nod to the iconic photograph of him taken with a Pierce bicycle in Wexford in 1922, a reminder of the time when he used to cycle around Dublin despite there being a bounty on his head.

The armoured car “Sliabh na mBan” from the convoy that made the historic journey on the day of Michael Collins’ death was also on show, and Cork singing legend John Spillane performed his new Michael Collins song for the very first time.

Speaking at the event, Michael Collins 100 Committee chairman Tim Crowley said:

“We are thrilled with the turnout for one Cork’s and Ireland’s greatest hero This statue not only symbolises Collins but that whole generation of men and women who took on a military empire and trailblazed the way for us today.  We were honoured to have three Cork sporting legends unveil the statue – all extraordinary people in their own right like Collins himself.”

Fidelma Collins, grand-niece of Michael Collins and his closest living relative, said:

“The Collins family are absolutely thrilled to be here with you all today.  The Michael Collins 100 committee were superb and a driving force to work with.  Thank you to everyone who made this happen.  You are all acknowledged in a capsule that we have at the base of the statue.”

Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Kieran McCarthy said:

“This statue will add to the great sense of history and the great sense of place in Cork City.”

Renowned sculptor Kevin Holland was commissioned to create the new statue and the piece is being described as a “monument for the people, from the people” funded through a crowd-funding scheme spearheaded by the Michael Collins 100 committee. The name of every person who made a contribution to the fundraising drive is in a “time capsule” which has been placed in the plinth of the statue. Holland also created the landmark statue of Collins in Clonakilty.

Cast in Germany, the new bronze statue is currently in Macroom where the final coat of bronze patina is being applied.  The statue is set at ground level, as a nod to Collins running the War of Independence among the people, inside a stone surround of carved limestone paving with information on Collins’ life.

The site was chosen as it has historical links to Collins. On March 12, 1922, the ‘Big Fella’ attended a rally on Grand Parade.  That day, Collins delivered a passionate speech to a reported crowd of 50,000 people. 

Collins’ convoy would have also passed the spot early on the morning of August 22, 1922, on his journey from the Imperial Hotel, where he spent his last night, on route to Béal na Bláth where he was shot dead later that day.  It is also possible that his body passed the location in the early hours of the following morning.

For more, see michaelcollinsstatue.com.