I agree that Tim Pat Coogan is a very good historian...I have read 3 of his books now....both the Collins and DeValera books and his history of the IRA, but if I remember correctly about his description of Collins' assassination, those who attacked didn't know until later that it was Collins who died.

Amergin

P.S. Re: Coogan's objectivity:

It seemed to me that he deeply admires Collins, while Eamonn DeValera doesn't seem to hold that high in his esteem...