Michael Collins and The Making of a New Ireland. Dublin: Phoenix Pub., 1926. First Edition, Second Issue. Two Volumes. Pp (1) xv, 458; (2) vii, 484. Publisher’s green cloth boards with gilt vignette portrait of Collins on upper covers. Some white spotting to spine of volume two, foxing & light dust soiling to fore-edges & preliminary leaves, otherwise a very good set of this iconic biography

Illustrated with Nineteen Plates.

From birth and childhood to his infamous days as Ireland’s leading voice for Independence, Piaras Béaslaí explains Collins’ passion for politics and follows his ascent into the cause for national self-determination. It goes into great detail in describing events that Collins was involved in, and also uses primary sources to support its position.

Piaras Béaslaí fought in the Easter Rising of 1916, and the Irish War of Independence. During the Irish War of Independence, he helped facilitate a mass escape of rebels from jail in Manchester. Later Béaslaí became director of publicity for IRA, and at the 1918 general election he was elected to the First Dáil Éireann as Sinn Féin TD for Kerry East. At the 1921 general election he was returned to the 2nd Dáil as a Sinn Féin Teachta Dála for Kerry-Limerick West. He was re-elected in the 1922 election as a pro-Treaty Sinn Féin candidate.