Peter Hart (1) (1963–2010)

There are few people in modern Irish history who loom larger than Michael Collins, "The Big Fellow" who more than any other individual is credited with winning independence for Ireland. In a matter of a few short years he emerged from the ranks of the Republican movement to become one of the key figures in the struggle against British rule. His early death as a result of an ambush in the subsequent civil war gave him the aura of a lost leader, laden with the possibilities of what might have been. In this book, Peter Hart seeks to penetrate beneath the many legends surrounding Collins in order to get at the truth behind this famous figure.

Faced with the stories and misconceptions about Collins's life (many of which were of his own making), Hart bases his narrative on the extensive documentary evidence about his subject's life. The Collins that emerges is not a great guerrilla warrior but a master administrator, one whose organizational abilities and work ethic were both the keys to his rise and his great contribution to victory. These skills were the product of his years in London, where he worked as a postal clerk and spent his free time in various Irish social organizations. His subsequent rise through the ranks of the Irish revolutionary leadership was aided by the loss of the top leadership in the aftermath of the Dublin rising in 1916. The loss of most of the senior leadership created opportunities that Collins exploited to the fullest, gaining positions of authority in which his managerial talent ensured a flow of money, supplies, and (most critically) intelligence to the members of the IRA in the field.

Hart's achievement in uncovering the real Michael Collins from the layers of myth that built up over the years is impressive, providing a truer assessment of his role in Irish independence than any previous biography. His detective work on Collins's time in London is especially exemplary here, illuminating a part of his subject's life often overshadowed by his subsequent achievements. People seeking the Collins of legend would be better off watching Neil Jordan's hagiographic depiction, but for those wanting to discover the true Michael Collins, this is the book to read.… (més)

I did not know what to expect upon starting this book. Having finished it I was very happy with the outcome as Peter Hart attracted controversy for previous works of his. First and foremost I should say I do not lionise Collins - too many do that already and more critical analyses such as this are warranted. Hart disassociates himself from the hagiography, and also a lot of the outlandish smears and gossip which were levelled by opponents of Collins, dealing instead with facts which he can reference and substantiate. This leads to an interesting bibliography which provides an interesting reading list for those who may wish to read further. This is not mere hero worship and he highlights how it is grave ignorance to suggest that Collins was a simple soldier as some would suggest, in fact that does a grave disservice to his level of intelligence as demonstrated by the level of his political intrigue and ability throughout the years 1917-22.… (més)

My attraction to this book was my obvious admiration of Collins and the opportunity to read a new biography (there have been many before). Although I was excited, I was also wary because this book was supposed to take a not-very-flattering look at Collins' life. I found this to be true as Hart attempted to look through the praise and hero-worship that has accompanied Collins since his untimely death in 1922. Hart in several places goes too far, interjecting spite and taking the opposite position just to stir things up.

I can say one good thing about the effect the book has had on me, though: if I had not been reading this book, I would never have chosen the topic I did for my final history paper and broken new ground in the canon of Collins literature. Overall I found it to be very informative and an exciting read (this is probably due to the fact that this is the first Collins biography that I have read cover to cover and there were many things that I learned for the first time). Despite all of Hart's best efforts, I still find myself a devotee of Michael Collins, maybe even more than before, and for that reason I would recommend this book to anyone interested.… (més)