Ninety years after his death, Michael Collin's prayer book has been found in France.
According to the Irish Times, the leather-bound book, entitled ‘The Christian Armed Against the Seductions of the World and the Illusions of His Own Heart,’ was discovered among his belongings in Portobello Barracks, Rathmines, following his death in August 1922.
The prayer book was returned to the Collins family, then given as a gift, to a nun – Sr Aloysius at the Convent of Mercy in Cappoquin, Co Waterford, in November 1922 .
It was later inherited by an Irish woman who now lives in southern France. The Irish woman has now decided to sell it, along with a letter from a priest, Fr Ignatius of the Passionist Order, who had given the book to Collins.
The gilt-edged book contains “instructions for meditation” on 31 topics (“maxims”) such as: “Time is precious; the loss of it is irreparable”; and, “The number is small of those who are saved” .
It also includes morning and evening prayers and a “Consideration on the Passions of Jesus Christ," and has a single black-and-white illustration of Jesus carrying the cross and a quote from St Luke’s Gospel: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
Sr Aloysius wrote notes in the book. She calls Michael Collins “Ireland’s idol”; “her Joan of Arc”; and “her greatest hero and leader."
The rare book auctioneers Mealy's will auction the prayer book and the priest's letter as one in Dublin next month, with a pre-sale estimate of € 1,200-€1,800, reports the Irish Times.
The priest's letter was sent to Collins’s sister after her brother’s death. In it, Fr Ignatius says that he gave the prayer book to Collins during a mission at Greystones, Co Wicklow, in 1921, which Collins had attended before departing for London to negotiate the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
The priest recalls that Collins, despite “being busy in Dublin, worked and worried almost beyond endurance”, had returned to the Grand Hotel in Greystones “one night very late and very tired on the eve of his departure to London re the pact."
“He got up the next morning as early as 5.30am, came to the church and made a glorious general Confession and received Holy Communion.
“He said to me after Confession: ‘Say the Mass for Ireland and God bless you Father!’ He crossed an hour or so later to London.”
“There is not a man in a million would have done what Michael did that he might get to Confession and Holy Communion.”
17 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.TisEyerish | Nov 24, 2012, 11:44 AM EST
I believe this book should be given to the descendants of Michael Collins and there should be no price put on it. How sad that everyone just wants to make a quick buck.
pilib04 | Nov 24, 2012, 08:10 AM EST
Helen Ferone, the complexities of Northern Ireland's position with respect to Michael Collin's Free State, were were beyond Mr. Collin's capabilities/payscale. I know many think Collins was superman, bigger than life, but the resistance in the North was equal to the task. Edward Carson and company were far better armed, trained and prepared to resist a forced union with the Republic. The Brits were also prepared to come to Carson's aid either as individuals or as part of a regular British force. Martin McGuinness, Gerry Adams and the youthful leadership of Sinn Fein are currently proceeding to do what no one has contemplated. By working outside the box, Sinn Fein is developing a path to unification that so far is still unrecognizable but is slowly developing it's shape and form. As Adams said in 1993 in his broadcast to the world wide diaspora, the only thing that will be taken off the table are guns (my paraphrasing). Adams warned us that we would not recognize the new path as something that has ever been attempted before. When you see/feel the energy of the Sinn Fein leadership throughout all-Ireland, you realize that there is truly a revolution occurring.
WoundedKnee | Nov 24, 2012, 05:11 AM EST
I would need to write a booklength study to show in detail how Collins was no revolutionary, but I can state the central thesis in one sentence: Collins never showed the slightest interest in disrupting the class structure of the Ireland of his day. He ignored the legacy of Pearse and Connolly. For one proof out of many, look how the entrenched interests of big business, such as it was in Ireland, big landowners, the Church, the media etc etc. fell in right behind him and made him their leader and subsequently their hero.
WoundedKnee | Nov 24, 2012, 05:06 AM EST
" Dhun na bheile agus na bia ag caint". Sokc8, What you write as "Irish" is gibberish. My best effort at a translation would be "Closed the meals and the food talking". This makes some sense to you?
LilyoftheValley | Nov 23, 2012, 11:40 PM EST
"With Michael Collins in the Fight for Irish Independence " by Batt O'Connor T D is a must-read. Particularly the account of M.C.'s anguish the night before he had to go to London to negotiate. According to B O'C., Michael believed this was not his role. Reminds one of Gethsemane. Best wishes to all.
anglo-norman | Nov 23, 2012, 10:28 PM EST
Collins was a traitor & paid of like Adams & McGuinness
Aliciarose | Nov 23, 2012, 08:39 PM EST
I think the Prayer Book should be given back to Michael Collins' family who are still living today. It should be back in their arms. Everyone seems to want to make dollar out of it.
Sokc8130 | Nov 23, 2012, 06:10 PM EST
Wounded knee, please explain to all the Irish people on this site why our hero, Michael Collins was no revolutionary. Why do u always have to put some negative comment? Ur not Irish, I believe u think ur fluent in irish after spending a couple if months in Ireland. If you hate the Irish so much, then get off the email listing for Irish central. Dhun na bheile agus na bia ag caint
merefalow | Nov 23, 2012, 05:38 PM EST
should return to ireland.
mairint | Nov 23, 2012, 05:35 PM EST
When men were REAL men and were humble enough to respect God Almighty and their need for Him. Could Ireland produce another Michael Collins today? Apart from the yobs who marched with the fiminists recently for the right to kill Irish babies, do the Irishmen of today have the guts to stand against the political dictatorship that has grabbed Ireland in its EU / UN nets? Would Collins have allowed himself to be their puppet like Gilmore and Kenny?
WoundedKnee | Nov 23, 2012, 03:46 PM EST
Godbaw is right. Michael Collins was no revolutionary.
staker42 | Nov 23, 2012, 01:24 PM EST
Michael Collins was indeed a hero to me and I presume many more. It is a shame his killers were never captured. Did the self serving Dev have anything to do with there is ample suspicion that he had. I agree that Ireland would have been a far better place if he had survived.
Joe Kelsall | Nov 23, 2012, 12:23 PM EST
I'll give 2,000 Euros for it!
mreinhar2001 | Nov 23, 2012, 10:56 AM EST
It would be nice if the book could be placed on display in an Irish College along with the stories told in this article. That way all could see it.
handsome68 | Nov 23, 2012, 10:06 AM EST
As a fan of Joan of Arc, I concur that Michael Collins was indeed "Ireland's Joan of Arc". It is heartwarming to know that the thoughts of three of my all-time heroes, Sir William ("Braveheart") Wallace, Joan of Arc, and Michael Collins -- were all of them turned to God in their last moments or days on earth.
Helen Ferone | Nov 23, 2012, 09:39 AM EST
I honestly believe if Michael Collins had lived all of Ireland would be united instead of divided. There would not be the violence they've had over the years, and it would be a more peaceful Northern Ireland. They belong as one not party under the United Kingdom.
gobdawpaddy | Nov 23, 2012, 07:49 AM EST
"revelutionary"?