Michael Collins and the Women Who Spied For Ireland

by Meda Ryan

Michael Collins and the Women Who Spied for Ireland is the first book to concentrate on the crucial role played by women in Collins's personal and working life. From his boyhood in an overwhelmingly female household in West Cork, women brought out the best in him and he brought out the best in them. Susan Killeen, his first girlfriend, remained a steadfast ally throughout his life. From 1917, his girlfriend, Madeline (Dilly) Dicker, helped to ease the burden of his huge workload as well as acting as a secret agent. Society ladies Moya Llewelyn Davies and Lady Hazel Lavery were conduits between Collins and the British Establishment and active participants in his work of espionage. In the final years of his life the true romantic passion between him and Kitty Kiernan is testified to by their frequent correspondence. These women, and many others who participated in the national struggle, women such as Kathleen Clarke, Leslie Price, Peg Barrett, Nancy O'Brien, Madge Hales and Collins' sister Mary Collins Powell, are woven into this fascinating narrative of Collins' life.

Genres: Ireland, History

256 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2006

About the author

MEDA RYAN, historian and author, is a native of West Cork and now lives in Ennis, Clare; she has participated in television and radio documentaries and has had articles published in a wide variety of history magazines and journals, plus national and local newspapers.
She was was widowed when her Husband, Donal Ryan, passed away in Ennis, Clare in 2013, who was also a native of Cork.

Ryan developed a strong interest in the Irish revolutionary period, and interviewed many veterans of the old IRA. For this reason, she has a huge amount of respect for these individuals and famously was involved in a dispute with Canadian historian Peter Hart on IRA Commandant Tom Barry. This prompted Ryan to write an extended biography of Tom Barry. Her fist Biography of Tom Barry, The Tom Barry Story was written in 1982 for the Mercier Press. Following the dispute with Hart, in 2003 She wrote her extended Biography entitled Tom Barry: IRA Freedom Fighter

Her published books include Tom Barry: IRA Freedom Fighter; The Day Michael Collins Was Shot; Liam Lynch: The Real Chief and Michael Collins and the Women Who Spied for Ireland.

Reviews

[ParisianIrish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Collins and the Women Who Spied for Ireland offers an intriguing glimpse into the often overlooked role that women played in the Irish struggle for independence. The book focuses on the women who worked with Michael Collins, shedding light on their contributions to espionage and intelligence gathering during a crucial period in Irish history.

The narrative provides a mix of personal stories, political intrigue, and historical detail, painting a broader picture of the revolutionary movement. While it covers the bravery and resourcefulness of these women, the book also touches on the challenges they faced and the risks they took in an era dominated by male figures.

However, the book's tone remains somewhat detached, leaving the reader wanting more depth on certain individuals and their unique experiences. Overall, Collins and the Women Who Spied for Ireland is a thought-provoking read for those interested in Ireland’s fight for independence, though it may leave some looking for a more intimate portrait of the women involved.

[Peggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title of this book is misleading,to say the least.
I brought this book in Dublin,last year. Knowing Irish history well and that Mick Collins had an extensive undercover spy network,during the War for Independence,I thought I'd learn something regarding the women who were pArt of it.
Boy was I wrong.
Very little of the book is given over to the women spies.
It's mostly a rehash of what those of us,who read Irish history already know about Michael Collins.

The author literally does not break any new ground in the book.