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Collier the Robber

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  • 23-05-2010 8:02pm
    #1
    Sonovagun
    Registered Users Posts: 391 ✭✭


    Has anyone heard of the Meath Highwayman Michael Collier? I've been reading up on this Real Robin Hood figure with a lot of interest! He held up stage coaches in Drogheda and the Meath/North Dublin area during the early 1800s. Giving what he stole to the poor in return of safe places to stay. He was caught and imprisoned in Trim jail, only to escape and go back to robbing. Second time he was arrested he was sentence to death only for the sentence to be overruled and was sent to West Indies! During the famine he returned to Ireland from Viginina. He died in 1849 aged 69 from cholera.

    Just interested does anyone have any tales or stories about him? There was a TnG documentry about him last year, i didn't get to see it.


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    #2
    Freedom64
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭Freedom64


    If you can get up stairs in the Brazen Head Public House (Dublin) there a window pane with an inscription by "Collier highwayman" from the time period when the Highwayman himself lived, (Whether he inscribed this himself is unknown). It in in a Landing window on the second floor. I have seen this myself during a survey for renovations were being done by our office 20 years ago. As i live on one of Colliers favoured routes for his highway antics i have an interest in him and the stories from Fingal Area about him.


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    #3
    Denerick
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,488 ✭✭✭Denerick


    There are loads of these kinds of characters knocking about Ireland in the late 1790s and early 1800s. It certainly adds a lot of colour to our history.


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    #4
    Fuinseog
    Registered Users Posts: 5,371 ✭✭✭Fuinseog


    Sonovagun wrote: »
    Has anyone heard of the Meath Highwayman Michael Collier? I've been reading up on this Real Robin Hood figure with a lot of interest! He held up stage coaches in Drogheda and the Meath/North Dublin area during the early 1800s. Giving what he stole to the poor in return of safe places to stay. He was caught and imprisoned in Trim jail, only to escape and go back to robbing. Second time he was arrested he was sentence to death only for the sentence to be overruled and was sent to West Indies! During the famine he returned to Ireland from Viginina. He died in 1849 aged 69 from cholera.

    Just interested does anyone have any tales or stories about him? There was a TnG documentry about him last year, i didn't get to see it.


    is there not a book out on him or is it Frenney?


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    #5
    CDfm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,649 ✭✭✭✭CDfm


    There is a book about him alright -he was born around 1780 -so he would have been 69 when he died -which was a good age and he survived the famine.

    I would love to know more.


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    #6
    cammo 30
    Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭cammo 30


    hi guys....im writing a short film on collier the robber and need solid info on his story can anyone help


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    #7
    bodun
    Registered Users Posts: 135 ✭✭bodun


    Fuinseog wrote: »
    is there not a book out on him or is it Frenney?

    Freney was from Kilkenny and you're right there is a book about him.


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    #8
    Alron
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭Alron


    Does anybody if Collier the robber had a wife or children?


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    #9
    Snakezilla
    Registered Users Posts: 213 ✭✭Snakezilla


    Sorry for pulling up an old thread - I have studied Michael Collier in depth and live where he was born.
    cammo 30 wrote: »
    hi guys....im writing a short film on collier the robber and need solid info on his story can anyone help
    Feel Free to PM me for any information and questions.
    Alron wrote: »
    Does anybody if Collier the robber had a wife or children?

    No wife and , officially no children :rolleyes: although in his prime he was quite the charmer and was known to have a girl in every town if you like ;)


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    #10
    Coillte_Bhoy
    Registered Users Posts: 7,888 ✭✭✭Coillte_Bhoy


    ...


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    #11
    paul71
    Registered Users Posts: 3,113 ✭✭✭paul71


    http://www.navanhistory.ie/index.php?page=highwayman


    Surname Collier survives to this day in Bellewstown/Stamullen and indeed a legendary Meath footballer, Pat "the red" Collier may be a relative.


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    #12
    368100
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,067 ✭✭✭368100


    Supposed to be a cave close to where I live in louth where he hid his stolen goods I've never been up to it but my brothers and sister have


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    #13
    niallb
    Registered Users Posts: 2,720 ✭✭✭niallb


    Two articles about him here:

    http://www.navanhistory.ie/index.php?page=highwayman
    http://www.navanhistory.ie/index.php?page=collier-the-robber-talk


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    #14
    riffmongous
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,629 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    368100 wrote: »
    Supposed to be a cave close to where I live in louth where he hid his stolen goods I've never been up to it but my brothers and sister have

    I lived in Freaney territory and we had the very same story


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    #15
    368100
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,067 ✭✭✭368100


    riffmongous wrote: »
    I lived in Freaney territory and we had the very same story

    What part of the country would that be?


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    #16
    riffmongous
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,629 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    368100 wrote: »
    What part of the country would that be?

    South kilkenny, around Thomastown. The treasure is supposed to be hidden up on Brandon Hill


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    #17
    368100
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,067 ✭✭✭368100


    riffmongous wrote: »
    South kilkenny, around Thomastown. The treasure is supposed to be hidden up on Brandon Hill

    Ah okay. ..I'm out on cooley peninsula. .and the cave in question has been long emptied though I'm told there's still broken Delph and the likes still there


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