The statue arrives during the week of what would have been Collins’ 133rd birthday.
A new Michael Collins statue is officially being unveiled on Friday October 20th at midday.
The statue was secured in place yesterday morning at 6am at Grand Parade, welcoming the former Irish revolutionary back to Cork city for the first time in 101 years, since his death in 1922.
Sculptor Kevin Holland was commissioned to create the new statue, which was funded through a “crowd-funding scheme spearheaded by the Michael Collins 100 committee” according to Breaking News.
Breaking News also reports that “the name of every person who made a contribution to the fundraising drive is in a “time capsule” which has been placed in the plinth of the statue.”
Grand Parade was where Collins addressed the people of Ireland following the Treaty negotiations in March 2022, which cause significant controversy at the time. At this pro-Treaty rally, 50,000 people gathered to listen to Collins, some from as far away as Sullivan’s Quay.
He died five months later in August after being shot during an ambush.
Header images via Facebook / Michael Collins Centre
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