Read more: The best Irish movies of all time - SEE VIDEOS

Read more: Rare footage of Michael Collins unearthed in Pathe news reels

Robert Redford wanted to play Michael Collins in a movie about the life of the Irish patriot, but Irish director Neil Jordan beat him to the punch.

Jordan’s film starring Liam Neeson was made in 1996.

In a new biography by Michael Feeney Callan entitled “Robert Redford the Biography” Redford reveals that his grandmother , who was of Irish background was a huge fan of Collins and often talked about him and that he has retained a fascination for  the Irish revolutionary.

The book, which will be available on May 3rd also reveals that it was a major disappointment to him that the film did not get made.

Redford has referred to the Collins project before in a public lecture in 2008 in Dublin when asked if he had wanted to make the movie he responded:"Yes, I did. I remember my grandmother talking about him but I was too young to understand it.

"It's a great story... a guy who flew so close to the sun... so reviled by one side and loved by the other."
Redford added: "When we were shooting 'Out of Africa' I asked a writer to write up a screenplay and a lot of the Irish crew [on the set] said 'that's not a good idea'.

"Then I heard that Neil was working on it. He did a thesis on it so... he got there and I didn't."
In the same interview he stated he would like to own a home in Ireland, “I love Dublin, I love Ireland” he said.

Read more: The best Irish movies of all time - SEE VIDEOS

Read more: Rare footage of Michael Collins unearthed in Pathe news reels

A NATION MOURNING