Gay Michael Collins claim in new book is dismissed by family

Both ex-career politicians Nora Owens and Mary Banotti, never fail to blow their own trumpet about being grand nieces of Gen Michael Collins. Yet Mary Ban O Tí claimed on RTE news that Sínn Féin shouldn't be given any more sound bites than their numbers justify. All the while unaware that their much trumpeted grand uncle was a prominent member of said party. Historical revisionism and political illiteracy is the scourge of the Irish. Ruination once again. But then as Al Gore, the best president America never had once said, it's extremely difficult to convince anyone of anything which is inconsistent with their economic interests. Inconvenient truths indeed. Mé Féin will always be at odds with Sínn Féin.

TCD Senator David Norris is Church of Ireland (Anglican Communion). An unlikely candidate for the Roman Catholic priesthood? Question is, from whom did the Rt Hon Senator get his bursary to write his book? And who bankrolled his 2011 Irish presidential bid? Since Collins was prematurely despatched to the great big republic in the sky, does posthumous character assassination make Norris a latter day Sonny O'Neill?

Who GAF!

If Collins were alive today would he have to be considered Metro-Sexual ?

sean: I don't think the Brits as you say demean Irish nationalists today as you say. But lots of Irish certainly do.

I agree that it's probably wishful thinking on Norris's part. But heck, even if he was gay, he's still the greatest Irishman in a thousand years! I wish people would spend less time on 'he said, she said' and more time reading books like Coogan's biography 'Michael Collins' and 'The Shooting of Michael Collins' by John M Feehan. Irish people everywhere would be outraged if they knew the extent of the cover-up surrounding Collins's murder and who was the probable culprit - British secret services.

Maybe David Norris should have joined the preisthood, he might have fit right in with all of the garbage his printing. I'm sure he could've found a companion. Go lock yourself in a dark closet David and have fun with yourself!

Writers sometimes make outrageous claims in order to draw attention to their stories, anticles and books.Mickael Collins was Ireland's greatest hero of past century.

the bottom line on all this re homosexuality is no one should care. Its what you do in life, especially for others, that counts. BTW nowing many gay people etc its my experience that there is someone gay in almost every family. For us its my brother in law. In my family its my late cousin adopted child, who committed suicide at age 30. Its only now that we cousins are working on some family history - I'm 71 and almost the youngest that I recently learned that he "didnt want to date girls and spent much of his short life depressed."............My cousin died about 10 years ago, and we cousins have decided to not tell his ex wife - she's had enough travail - the son committing suicide 15 years ago, and my cousin dying of cancer 10 yearws ago. She's remarried and happy, has a couple other kids.

Regardless of its veracity, Mr. Norris' scholarship is faulty in failing to provide verifiable sources.

Norris wants us to think it wasn't a bike Collins was peddling all over Dublin! Considering his carry on in London with The Ladies,I think that very unlikly ! :-) !

The Brits or their minions like to demean Irish nationalists accusing them of been gay.Pearse,Casement and now collins as stated by Ireland North. I once read a piece in a British paper some years ago that the Constance Marciewitz' was bi-sexual,in anyhow who cares what their sexual predilection was. I find it amusing that it's the anti republicans (like Norris) in our midst who like to push this garbage to demean our heroes.

Still, I. Wonder what Michael Collins would think of Ireland Today :)

Norris should be drop in the piranha tank.

IC sure loves a gay story no matter how deep the muck to be dug. Sheer nonsense of a story, of course. Murph46 said it best.