As a young man, Collins joined the Fenian movement (founded to overthrow British rule in Ireland). This work led him into politics. He was quickly elected a state representative and then a state senator. As a legislator, Collins worked to ease restrictions on the practice of religion for Catholics in state institutions and to earn public money for Catholic charitable institutions. With the rapidly increasing number of Irish voters in Boston in the 1870s, their vocal assertion of their rights, and strong political organization, the Irish were beginning to be recognized as a power to be reckoned with. Collins was central to these developments.(http://www.questia.com/library/journal/1P3-2036414231/young-patrick-a-collins-and-boston-politics-after, accessed 21 January 2014)Image of Patrick A. Collins, United States Congressmanballarat irish, patick collins, collins,