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LOVE IT OR hate it, the 1996 film Michael Collins is certainly a classic and it’s being aired on RTÉ 1 this evening from 9.30pm.
What better time than Easter Monday to steep yourself in some Irish history and try to move past Julia Roberts’ accent.
Test your knowledge in this quiz all about Michael Collins (the film, not just the man).
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I always wonder if the big fella lived what would have become of Ireland during his lifetime
@nicknack: I remember sinade O’Connor murdering the song.. She walks through the fair.
@Victor Feldman: not as bad as you murdering her name.
@Eamonn Connaghan: and murdering the name of the song.
@nicknack: he was a devout catholic like the rest of them. Not much would have changed.
@nicknack: a lot less abused children im guessing.
It’s my considered opinion that in the fullness of time history will record the greatness of Collins and it will be recorded at my expense.” Eamon De Velera
@Dave Hammond: he nailed that one. While Dev did great things to establish the state but I tend to see him ultimately as someone who stayed in power too long and was too ultimately far too conservative. I do wonder if Ireland would have been a less of a backward country had he not been in charge for as long as he was.
@John McSweeney: “Dev did great things to establish the state”??History records him as doing much to destroy it!
@John McSweeney: what great things did Dev do ?
@Gandelow: he is a founding father of the nation, a rebel during 1916 and wrote the constitution. He also served as Taoiseach for several terms and was President. In any book that’s a significant list of deeds. However I do judge his career holistically and in my eyes it is heavily tarnished by the strict adherence to the Catholic Church’s teachings. I think ultimately these policies held Ireland back for several generations, however at the time the majority of the Irish people were devoutly religious and backed his social policies around women, children, divorce and the church. So i can’t blame him completely for that…he was very much a man of his time. He’s not a hero of mine but I know he was/is for a lot of people.
@John McSweeney: Look into the money(bonds) that he stole to form the FF party. FF was formed on corruption. The man should have been in jail. He is as much to blame for the awful things that went on in the Catholic Church as him and McQuaid where best buddy’s
Dev was very cute getting Collins to go over to London to negotiate the treaty, he knew it would end in partition and that the north was off hands.
@Kev: always remember being taught in school in the 80s, that dev didn’t go as he saw himself in pare with the king of England. Absolutely, utter BS.
Was one of many extra’s in that film, mighty craic. Bloody Sunday shot in Bray was amazing and took the day off work to go to Grangegormon in the sweltering heat. “But what a day Mick, what a day”.
Still as films go, terrific
Dev was the biggest traitor to the republic, was only ever concerned about himself..what ever happened to all the funds that was raised when he was in the states? When he came back the war of independence was over and he used the funds for the civil war..a war he started over “a meaningless collection of words” he eventually said ten years after the state made great efforts to pull ireland out of the dark ages..only for him to start an economic war with the biggest exporter in the world at the time while he drove around ireland in his british built rolls Royce.. ff hasnt changed all that much either I suppose
@Darren Carroll: It must be remembered the free state government executed more Republican prisoners than the British..When Dev came to power he also executed Republican prisoners. A dark time in Irish history. Ironically the parties of F.G./F.F. that dominated this country since the foundation of this state between them betrayed everything that was in the Proclamation. F.F.in power left the country in as mess.. only to be replaced by F.G. who made matters worse… to be replaced by F.F. and the circus continues.
@Darren Carroll: you haven’t a clue about our history, I’m not a Dev fan but my god that’s shocking.
@Darren Carroll: Dev could have lead his political followers & the revolting army elements away from civil war,but he did not.
Collins had an objective to undermine the Unionist statelet post treaty, which was not pursued by the free state government, possibly due to the weakened condition of the 26 after civil war,& public exhaustion. Unity would have needed resources not then available to the infant state, so it was probably a case of ” beig la eile”
In 2020, our world has turned to the extent that the UK is on the verge of disintegration, the consequence of neo-colonial Tory policy, & FFFG are in coalition mode, the island faces a public health crisis in co-operation, & the people,mostly, recognise our common interdependency in meeting the challenges facing us.
Lean araig leis an obair.
@William Kelly: see that’s the problem with history taught in school, it’s shite, Collins and Dev get too much credit, we had one chance for a real Republic but Collins borrowed guns and money to kill it off
Love all the armchair historians calling Collins a traitor and that he gave away the occupied six. The man did more for this nation than any of ye idiots. Front line man who made the English negotiate. A absolute legend.
@Denis Ryan: yes and established gurilla war that was a template for the freedom of many peoples a true genius ,a prophet is rarely excepted in his own land
@Denis Ryan: thanks for calling me an idiot, maybe if you open a book or do a bit of research, the front line men who brought the English to negotiate were Liam lynch, Tom Barry, the boys of County Cork the men who had to sleep in the dirt and mud, as Collins and Dev could got to go to there warm beds, maybe next time you might educate yourself before calling other people idiots.
@Daniel Roche: Funny that “open a book” I studied history in university, where is your degree from? I never down played Tom Barry or Dan Breens part in securing our freedom. Was Collins fighting in the 1916 rising from his “warm bed”. Also I double down on the idiot part, if the cap fits wear it.
@Denis Ryan: I never went to college for your information but its not hard to learn the history of your country, when you open your eyes, we’ll done on your apology, did I mention the 1916 rising, I was talking about the war of independence.
@Daniel Roche: And if you read what I originally wrote I called the people who call him traitor or giving away the six idiots. You didn’t say either of those things so why are you thinking I was calling you unintelligent,but you did mention him using foreign guns to win the civil war. I dont disagree with you on that point. He was a true patriot. The north six were never on the table due to the demographic of the population up there. Things change and in good time we will be a United island again.
@Denis Ryan: his a traitor in my eyes, I replied to you cause like you said you called people who think his a traitor idiots, I’m one of those idiots in your opinion and everyone is entitled to there opinion, I can’t understand how you can call him a true patriot, the murdered his own countrymen with help from the English and you agreed with me, look i respect everyone’s opinions but I can’t or won’t have time for Collins, Liam lynch(the real chief) was a true patriot of Ireland, stay loyal to the cause in my opinion.
@Daniel Roche: Agree to disagree so. Its kind of funny cos I reckon our current political believes would be similar but we can’t agree on the past. Good night and stay safe. I’ll see you in the Claughaun sometime lol
@Denis Ryan: thanks, you too, hopefully we can have a pint soon.
@Top Horse Shop the flying Columns were established by the leaders in the south: Tom Barry, Dinny Lacey, Sean Treacy, Dan Breen, Liam Lynch etc and they got little help from GHQ, including Collins.
@Denis Ryan: what is a non armchair historian? My mother would occasionally go to the archives and photocopy things, but other than that, historical research is done sitting down.
@Denis Ryan: he was a puppet of the Catholic Church, while the rest of the western world matured and liberalised we let the church enslave women in laundries or by denying them reproductive rights. Let’s not forget what they did to our countries children. All done with a knowing blind eye turned from devalera.
@Keith Mac Suibhne: Where did I mention de valera? I didn’t, you are a very confused individual and I have already responded to your inane comments on the government coalition poll from this morning.
@Denis Ryan: another fake account on the journal I see.
@Keith Mac Suibhne: see my reply to the fake account claim on the coalition poll article. Typical shinneresque response “bot” ” fake account” when you don’t agree with something. Boring.
Ah Michael. Ya gave away the North!
@Insider at RTE: how could he give it away when it was already decided and public knowledge as a result of the Government of Ireland Act of 1920 in the House of Commons…
I dont know what is worse Irish people only knowing one side of Irish History or ‘the fools the fools’that teach it. . ?
@Paul O’Sullivan: would you not consider that as a very reactive piece of legislation, in addressing the situation on the ground in Ireland?
The Northern Unionists always opposed Home Rule, but that act was effectively a (Fourth) Home Rule Act.
I don’t blame Collins, but his side were demanding the whole island and left with the 26.
@Paul O’Sullivan: it’s a disgrace how history is taught in this country!
@Paul O’Sullivan: Paul. I’m quoting one if the worst lines in the film!
@Insider at RTE: you didn’t even quote it correctly.
@Insider at RTE: how could he give away what he didn’t have ?
@Paul O’Sullivan: maybe it’s you that thinks there is only two sides to Irish history, education is no burden my son.
9/10. I’ll take that!
Brought to see it with the whole class when it came out first while we were in 6th class inside in Ennis.
This film is fiction, completely unhistorical and intended to glorify Collins at the expense of his colleagues especially Brugha and de Valera. I hold no brief for de Valera but revisionism is not history. Just like the series on.the 1916 Rising and the later one on the War of independence it manipulates the historical record to favour the successors of the winning side in the Civil War ie Fine Gael.
@Lita Campbell: have to agree with you, I would add in i think Dev was just as bad as Collins, FF and FG made sure the history books look after both these men, when I was in school, there was three lines about Liam lynch.
@Daniel Roche: it’s was for nothing – could have the had same result following Parnells model!
@Thomas Harrington: no it wouldn’t
@Thomas Harrington: Collins sold out, it was proven after the brits gambled and it worked
5/10, I must watch it again.
Anyone ever notice the reg of the car that drops Collins to the boat when heading over to negotiate? 16D1…..
Why the jibe it’s on TV ‘again’ tonight?
When is the last time it was on?
Sold the six counties to the crown, traitor
@Paul O Faolain: only he didn’t. Learn actual Irish history rather than want some blinkered republican slant tells you
@Paul O Faolain: Home rule would have aided a united ireland
@Top Horse Shop: home rule was the way to go. Very few in the Republic will accept that though!
@Joe: can you explain how, Carson and his crowd were against home rule too.
@Top Horse Shop: love to know how you think that.
@Ben L: wasn’t he a Republican himself until he sign that treaty.
*Michael
good movie
Woof..10/10. Great film.
@Ricky: you need to watch less fiction
9/10
More info about Collins here…
http://www.generalmichaelcollins.com/
Traitor
@Paul O Faolain: yeah we should have sent you. What a missed opportunity.
@Paul Whitehead: I’m guessing he wasn’t born, how could we send him???
I didn’t realize Todd Unctuous was in it?
Minister flanagan was at home mumbling nothing but a terrorist…
There are several (deliberate) mistakes in the film. A. There were no car bomb explosions in Michael Collins’s time. B. The body of Harry Boland was not fished out of the Liffey. C. De Valera did not order the ambush at Béal na Bláth.
Apart from that the film is enjoyable. There should have been a few romantic scenes though, with Chopin’s piano pieces dubbed into the background.
@Garreth Byrne: the film is fiction, very little truth
Maybe have a quiz on the actual history rather than a silly hollywood movie which has little merit and totally misrepresented Collins some swashbuckling hero and Dev as a bond villain. Rubbish
4. Need to watch this again
4. Wow. Seems I know nothing about our history also!
have your say