ONE of the best Irish movies starring Hollywood legends is now streaming for free on YouTube.
The 1996 film Michael Collins is now on the video sharing platform.
The full version of Michael Collins has been uploaded by Warner Bros. Entertainment.
And the Irish historical drama has already gained over 400k views since its release.
Directed by Neil Jordan, Michael Collins stars Liam Neeson, Aidan Quinn, Stephen Rea, Alan Rickman, and Julia Roberts, diving into Ireland’s early 20th-century fight for independence.
Liam Neeson takes center stage as the revolutionary leader Michael Collins.
Aidan Quinn plays Harry Boland, while Stephen Rea portrays Ned Broy, Alan Rickman plays Eamon de Valera, and Julia Roberts stars as Kitty Kiernan.
Another Irish legend, Brendan Gleeson appears as Liam Tobin, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays Collins’ assassin.
The films synopsis states: “Michael Collins’ tells the powerful, turbulent story of one of Ireland’s most controversial patriots and revolutionary heroes, known as ‘The Lion Of Ireland’, who leads his countrymen in their fight for independence.
“Set in the early 20th Century, when a monumental history of oppression and bloodshed had divided Ireland and its people, the film covers the bloody 1916 Easter Uprising, when Irish revolutionaries surrendered to the overwhelming military power of the British forces and Collins was arrested.
“Upon his release, he takes leadership of the Irish independence movement and strives to create a free and peaceful country.”
The film first premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August 1996, where it won the prestigious Golden Lion Award and earned Neeson the Best Actor honour.
Afterwards, it hit theatres in America in October 1996 and debuted in Ireland in November.
With a $28million budget, Michael Collins shattered box-office records in Ireland, ranking second only to Titanic – the biggest film of the year.
The movie earned two Oscar nominations — Best Cinematography and Best Original Dramatic Score, and received two Golden Globe nods, including one for Neeson as Best Actor in a Drama.
It also earned two BAFTA nominations, with Rickman up for Best Supporting Actor and the film nominated for Best Cinematography.
Michael Collins now holds a ‘Certified Fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, along with an 84% fan approval.
Another Irish film now free on YouTube is the 2003 movie Veronica Guerin.
Uploaded by Reel Vision Movies last year, the film has an all-star cast including Collin Farrell and Cate Blanchett, where the latter plays the late crime journalist.
In 1996, Neeson opened up about his portrayal of Michael Collins with The Hollywood Foreign Press, reflecting on how he first learned about the iconic figure as a child.
He said: “My history with Michael Collins is steeped in an early childhood memory of being in my grandparents’ house in Waterford in the Republic of Ireland and sometimes being ostracised by other children because I was from the Black North.”
“I was eight or nine years of age and kids were shouting at me, ‘You follow the Queen,’ and I didn’t have a clue what this meant.
“Then when I went indoors my grand mum would say, ‘Why are you not outside?’ and I’d be telling her, ‘The kids won’t play with me because I’m from the North.’
“Then I’d hear my grandfather saying these names, ‘Michael Collins. Èamon de Valera’.”
