30 August 2025
By Valerie Ryan
valerie@TheCork.ie
Michael Collins House Museum Announces the Launch of New Book: “In the Shadow of the Big Fellow” by Historian Cal McCarthy
Michael Collins House Museum is proud to announce the launch of its first major publication, “In the Shadow of the Big Fellow: The Commemoration, Commercialisation, Study, and Politicisation of Michael Collins 1922-2022.” This thought-provoking new book, written by acclaimed author and Michael Collins House historian Cal McCarthy, explores the complex and evolving legacy of one of Ireland’s most iconic figures.
NO REPRO FEE “In the Shadow of the Big Fellow” Book to Launch in Michael Collins House Museum on 22nd August 2025.
Over one hundred years after his death in 1922, Michael Collins, affectionately known as “The Big Fellow”, continues to captivate public imagination and scholarly debate alike. In this meticulously researched book, Cal McCarthy delves into how Collins has been remembered, commemorated, mythologised, and at times contested over the past century. Through a careful analysis of political discourse, public memorialisation, literature, film, and popular culture, McCarthy offers readers a nuanced portrait of a legacy still shaping national identity.
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley says, “Michael Collins was not only a towering figure in his own time, but he has also loomed large over Irish political and cultural life ever since. This book aims to explore how different generations have interpreted his life, his role in Irish independence, and what he has come to symbolise for Ireland today.”
“In the Shadow of the Big Fellow” is the first major publication from Michael Collins House Museum and builds on the museum’s existing content to help increase public understanding of Ireland’s revolutionary past in an accessible manner. The publication, made possible with the support of the Cork County Council Commemoration Committee, provides an intriguing read for both enthusiasts and academics as well as the more casual reader.
The book will be officially launched by Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley at Michael Collins House, Clonakilty, on Friday, the 22nd of August at 7pm with the author in attendance for a brief talk and book signing.
“In the Shadow of the Big Fellow” is available from the 22nd of August at Michael Collins House Museum, selected bookstores, and online at www.michaelcollinshouse.ie