Life and loves of Michael Collins inspires eclectic new album

by Mustafa Khetty April 25, 2023

Fascination with ‘The Big Fella’ inspired Sri Lankan born, Irish raised composer to write and produce musical tribute ‘Torn in Love, Torn Apart’

A decades-long fascination with the life and loves of Michael Collins has been the inspiration behind an eclectic new concept album by Sri Lankan-born, Irish-raised musician Mustafa Khetty.

‘Torn in Love, Torn Apart’, offers a fascinating new insight into Collins and his life as a protean soldier/statesman, with a particular emphasis on the passionate, but tragically doomed, love affair between ‘The Big Fella’ and Kitty Kiernan.

Mustafa speaks of his idol Collins in revered tones, explaining how he looks on him as a true “world hero”.

“The Irish seem to embrace him as their own, aware of the magnitude of his achievements, capabilities and stature. Yet he inspired Mahatma Gandhi, Che Guevara, Nelson Mandela and a stream of others who looked at him and his tactics in the Irish struggle,” said Mustafa.

“He had brain, brawn and Adonis looks. The more I find out about the extraordinary dexterity and depth of his capabilities, the more I’m flabbergasted,” he added.

Mustafa described Michael Collins as being the “quintessential rogue” with a “Dennis the Menace look of mischief in his eye”.

“He had a great gift of the gab, walking into situations as the most wanted man in Ireland, and talking himself out of it. They know in the back of their minds that he’s Michael Collins, and they’re letting him go. That ability was legendary,” said Mustafa.

An interesting character in his own right, Mustafa swapped tropical Sri-Lanka for “damp soggy” Ireland in 1971 at the tender age of 11, rapidly embracing the culture of his new home and in particular a passion for prog-rock music.

With his teenage prog-rock dreams ripped away by his disapproving parents, Mustafa found himself trading in gold bullion and commodities on Wall Street during the 1980s.