Michael Collins Centre

Welcome to the official website for the Michael Collins Centre. A family run interpretive centre and museum, located at Castleview just outside of the seaside town of Clonakilty, in stunning West Cork, on the Wild Atlantic Way.

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At the Centre visitors enjoy a comprehensive presentation on the life and times of Michael Collins. There are live illustrated presentations delivered three times daily, audiovisuals and a fine collection of Michael Collins artefacts and memorabilia.

At this unique museum, visitors enjoy a comprehensive presentation on the life and times of Michael Collins. There are audiovisuals and live illustrated presentations delivered three times daily. The Michael Collins Centre houses one of the top Collections in Ireland of Michael Collins personal items, with artefacts and memorabilia from the War Of Independence and Civil War. Outside there is a life-size recreation of the Beál na Blá ambush site where Michael Collins was killed and a recreation of a firing squad execution yard. The Centre is located in close proximity to numerous sites linked with Michael Collins, including his birthplace at Woodfield and Beál na Blá. The Museum offers private Michael Collins Tours to these sites, as well as a more extensive War Of Independence Tour.

Tim and Dolores Crowley who are directly related to Michael Collins run the Michael Collins Centre.

Tim’s Grandfather, also called Tim Crowley was on active service during the 1916 Rising and was afterwards interned at Fron-goch Camp in Wales, in loft No 3 with Michael Collins.

The Crowley Farmhouse at Letter, north of Clonakilty was HQ and safe house for the Clonakilty Battalion of the IRA during the War of Independence. 

One of the Crowley sisters Margaret was Adjutant of the (Cumman na mBan) in Clonakilty town, she used the Crowley farmhouse as a half way house for despatches and other material being sent on to outlying IRA and Cumman na mBan units.

The Crowley Family – A Unique History

 

How to find us

The Michael Collins Centre is located about 5km northeast of Clonakilty town  at Castleview in the townland of Ballinoroher

From Clonakilty: Take the Timoleague road (R600) for approximately 2km; then, following the signposts for the Centre, take the second road to the left (L8085-27). Continue on that road for 1.6km until you reach the Centre. Travel time from Clonakilty town to the Centre is 8 minutes.

From Cork City: Take the N71 to West Cork for approximately 50km; just before entering Clonakilty town, take the Timleague road (R600) on your left and follow the directions above. Travel time from Cork City to the Centre is 55 minutes.

 

Opening Times

Opening Times

Open all year for groups, by appointment
(min 15 adults).

Mid June – Mid Sept: Open for off road visitors, (no need to book)
Monday to Friday: 10:30am – 5pm
Saturday: 11am – 2pm
Sunday: Opening for Group appointments only, (min 15 adults)

The Michael Collins Centre welcomes independent visitors, coach groups, active retired groups and school tours all year round.

Michael Collins Centre

Michael Collins Centre

Castleview

At the Michael Collins Centre visitors can enjoy audiovisuals, live illustrated presentations and an impressive exhibition of Michael Collins memorabilia, militaria and photographs. The audiovisuals include two films: one explores the sites in West Cork associated with Michael Collins and the other is a collection of archive footage and audio recordings.

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Michael Collins Tours

Michael Collins Tours

The Centre & Audio Visual Aids

Private tours of sites in West Cork and mid-Cork associated with Michael Collins

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War of Independence Tour

War of Independence Tour
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Guide Book

Guide Book

Book information & Purchase details

The Michael Collins Centre recently launched a new book entitled In Search of Michael Collins. It was written by Tim Crowley, founder of the Michael Collins Centre. The 122-page book is an illustrated history and guide to the places in Co. Cork associated with Michael Collins; it is filled with local historical information, Collins family history and lore, maps, original artwork and photographs.

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Béal na Blá Ambush Site

Béal na Blá Ambush Site

Where Michael Collins was killed
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See our photo album

See our photo album

Family Connection.

Tim Crowley, founder of the Michael Collins Centre, is related to Michael Collins through his great-grandmother, Marianne Slyne née McCarthy

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Top 10 museums in Ireland

The Michael Collins Centre received a Travellers’ Choice Award from TripAdvisor; this award placed the Centre in the top 1% of destinations nationally, and in the top 10 list of Irish museums and interpretative centers.

In 2016 the Michael Collins Centre is listed in the top 10 must-see museums in Ireland, in the Irish American website Irish Central. Certificate of Excellence 2016 TripAdvisor

 

Michael Collins House

No 13 Emmet Square

 

Michael Collins House

As part of the Michael Collins Tour Tim Crowley brings visitors to three houses in which Michael Collins lived as a child and during his teenage years. Two of the houses are located at his birthplace in Woodfield and the house where he was born is located at the back of that site. When Collins was about ten his mother built a much larger farmhouse closer to the road, that house was burned by British forces in 1921 and all that remains today is the footprint of the building.

When Michael Collins was going to school in Clonakilty aged fourteen he lived in Emmet Square with his sister Margaret and her husband Patrick O’Driscoll. For many years street lore indicated that the house where the O’Driscolls lived was No 7 Emmet Square. But in 2014, entries in the Cancelled Land Books discovered in the National Archives, proved that the O’Driscolls and Michael Collins in fact lived at No 13 Emmet Square, which is now a private residence.

 

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