Michael Collins is a legendary Irish figure most of us have heard about for as long as we can remember. But his love life, his charisma and his emotional journey is something that we rarely explore.
That is exactly what a new album dedicated to the Irish republican hero is hoping to do for listeners when it is released on October 14. Torn in Love, Torn Apart: The Story of Michael Collins & Kitty Kiernan has been produced by Sri Lankan born Irishman Mustafa Khetty, whose admiration and adoration for Collins is clear.
Mustafa spoke to Dublin Live about what the album explores, namely Collins' and Kiernan's loving yet complex relationship, introducing us to a familiar historical figure in a rather unfamiliar way. He said: "Michael Collins was the quintessential Dennis the Menace; his escapades, his theatrics and his daring."
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"He was like the James Bond of our time; escaping death almost every day while he was the most wanted man in the country. That appeal was ingrained at the time of my Leaving Cert."
Mustafa spent two years researching Collins’ incredible life, with input from Collins’ family. Much of that involved reading letters sent between Collins his fiance.
"The more I read in detail about him, the more I realised what a brilliant, amazing man he was, to have achieved so much by the age of 31," Mustafa revealed. The album includes a number of different genres such as Celtic, progressive rock, neo-classical and funk, something Mustafa said is important from a storytelling point of view.
He explained: "If it's just one single genre, you can't capture the finesse, the sensitivity, the romance, pain and loneliness. Different genres are better at capturing those moments."
Mustafa added: "I hope when people listen to it, they appreciate the love of his life, Kitty Kiernan, who's not talked about much. She was a formidable lady.
"If Michael had survived, they would have made a formidable power couple, Kitty being the socialite. Things would have been a lot different.
"You can imagine what kind of flavour Ireland would have had with this forward looking couple. Ireland probably would have been a fashion centre."
Torn in Love, Torn Apart: The Story of Michael Collins & Kitty Kiernan will be released on October 14 in honour of Collins' birthday on October 16.
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