Death of Michael Collins in Cork to get cold case treatment from former state pathologist

Dr Marie Cassidy will chair a panel of forensic scientists, criminal investigators, military strategists, archaeologists, archivists and historians who will try to discover who shot Michael Collins

The body of Michael Collins was brought to a military hospital in Shanakiel in Cork the night he was shot in Béal na Bláth.

August 08 2022 03:01 PM

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‘Who shot Michael Collins?’ That vexing question has been asked for nearly 100 years since that fateful evening on the bend of the road at Béal na Bláth when the commander of the National Army was shot dead during an ambush by a small group of IRA men who had been lying in wait all that day.

And while it’s no closer to being answered definitively – many historians, amateur detectives and, even, a comedian have proposed theories and asked interesting questions – there’s a possibility that a serious attempt may be made to unravel the mystery in a new RTÉ documentary being broadcast to mark the centenary of the most infamous murder in Irish history since the killing of Brian Boru. 

Cold Case Collins will be broadcast on August 24, just two days after the centenary of the controversial killing, and it features a panel comprising forensic scientists, criminal investigators, military strategists, archaeologists, archivists and historians and chaired by former State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy.