coll was born in gweedore, an irish-speaking region of county donegal, ireland; related to the notorious curran family, his family emigrated to the u.s. in the following year as steerage passengers on board the s/s "columbia", sailing from port of londonderry to the port of new york, april 3 to 12, 1909. coll was a distant relative of the former northern ireland assemblywoman bríd rodgers.