Look, It's a film we all know back to front. Chances are, you watched it once in school. Then another 10 times when your history teacher went on the razz the night before and threw it on to keep you quiet. But rarely has Michael Collins had as attentive an audience as being shown on RTE One on Easter Monday during a nationwide lockdown.
Are you even Irish if you're not watching #MichaelCollins on RTE for the millionth time.
— Allan Mathews (@DundalkAllan) April 13, 2020
It's almost like the Easter tradition of watching the 1996 Neil Jordan classic was ramped up a bit in the current circumstances. With sport on permanent hiatus, we needed a collective experience like this last night. And The Big Fella delivered.
It had some people in rare form online.
To be fair Mick should have avoided that road...#michaelcollins pic.twitter.com/yor2SPrv2J
— Gerry McK (@GMcK2012) April 13, 2020
Going on the sesh with the lads after lockdown #MichaelCollins pic.twitter.com/0WOZSGdzXY
— Paul O'Donoghue (@paulodonoghue93) April 13, 2020
Myself and the housemate in for a normal night in to watch #MichaelCollins pic.twitter.com/OKM6PiShjw
— Michael Pidgeon (@Pidge) April 13, 2020
Where was she on the day he was shot does anyone know? #michaelcollins pic.twitter.com/3hLOstbMoI
— 📻 Ed Smith 📻 (@EdTodayFM) April 13, 2020
Was there ever an assassination in ireland where Sinead O Connor didn't sing in the background? #michaelcollins
— The Cork Coypu (@CorkCoypu) April 13, 2020
The aul lad just muttered Black and Tan bastards. You love to see it #MichaelCollins
— Alan Mac Lochlainn (@DrPlow) April 13, 2020
Me on 9th March v me on 9th April #michaelcollins #blamedev pic.twitter.com/AjdoqDaBfc
— AMDuffin (@AmDuffin) April 13, 2020
Of course the film makers weren't merely pitching this as a good guy/bad guy plot......but they did cast the Sheriff of Nottingham and Hans Gruber to play Dev. pic.twitter.com/9a3mbZoEjP
— Oisin Langan (@oisinlangan) April 13, 2020
The history and politics chats were flowing.
Fwiw I would probably have supported the Treaty. It was the only realistic option on the table at the time. And that comes from the grandson of an Old IRA man who opposed the Treaty #MichaelCollins
— Eoin Kelleher (@eoinyk) April 13, 2020
Shivers every single time I watch that film. To do that that man done in just 31 years of living is unfathomable. #MichaelCollins
— Alex Cinnseallaigh (@alexkinsella11) April 13, 2020
My late father used to tell me that the reason there’s no street in #Ireland named after Dev is because they couldn’t find one long enough or crooked enough. #MichaelCollins
— an cailín cainteach ☘️ (@Trillian_01) April 13, 2020
Michael Hogan plus 31 others, shot down in Croke Park. One of the most awful crimes that ever happened our little island 😔 #MichaelCollins
— Donnacha McCormack (@dunta90) April 13, 2020
How appropriate the night that @fiannafailparty and @FineGael merge back into the one entity, we get the see the only political difference they have had for 80 odd yrs.. #michaelcollins
— Seán Browne (@41OPP) April 13, 2020
The factoid crew were out in force.
The Lads escaping from shooting at the Pepper Cannister church at this point are cycling past Fine Gaels HQ!! #michaelcollins pic.twitter.com/hOaPiUZ8Xb
— Alan Kinsella (@electionlit) April 13, 2020
Every archivist in the country just flinched as the Four Courts were blown up#RIPArchives #michaelcollins
— Dr. Barry Houlihan (@stagedreaction) April 13, 2020
Here’s a bit of #michaelcollins trivia you probably never knew. Both Neeson and Rickman’s great grandfathers lived streets away from each other in the Barrack St area of Waterford https://t.co/8l5POYHsUr Neeson’s mother is from Waterford.
— Dr Jennifer Kavanagh (@quiatimet) April 13, 2020
#michaelcollins and is there ever a more inaccurate film that portrays Irelands fight for independence
first scene a man walks out of the #gpo with a white flag. I think you'll find it was Elizabeth O'Farrell who carried that flag and not from the GPO.
Still a film I enjoy pic.twitter.com/Ugszjl1ZCn— Máirtin Flannery (@BallyMairtin) April 13, 2020
A basic check would tell you that the Treaty election of 1922 was on the 16th June 1922. Not 7th June as it says here. Especially if you’re into Joyce this date should stand out as it was both the day of ‘Bloomsday’ and the year ‘Ulysses’ was published. 😂#MichaelCollins pic.twitter.com/AxRSi0Tcn6
— Paddy Cullivan (@paddycullivan) April 13, 2020
Incredibly, some people were witnessing all of this for the first time. We remember those feelings.
Just watched Michael Collins for the first time ... really enjoyed it and all but now I’m so wound up I’m ready to storm Buckingham palace with the spire in one hand and a hurl in the other. #michaelcollins
— Danielle (@da1nie25) April 13, 2020
First time I have ever seen #michaelcollins made me feel proud to be Irish and appreciate the struggles our ancestors had against the British
— James (@Jamesmm98) April 13, 2020
What should RTE show next to get us all talking? We still think Italia '90 might be the trick.
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