FATHER FIGURE WITHIN POLITICS

Leinster Leader January 1975

Father figure within politics

KILDARE PARTY POLITICS lost one of its father figures with the death on Friday evening of Mr. Hugh Cosgrove, Timahoe, a member of Kildare Co. Council for almost thirty years.

Mr Cosgrove (81) was a founder member of the Fianna Fail party and was prominent in the Tan War. He was intelligence officer with Prosperous Company, Old I.R.A and a member of Sinn Fein before 1919. His late brother Michael took part in the 1916 rising and was imprisoned.

Mr. Cosgrove took the Republican side after the treaty was interned and went on hunger strike twice. He first stood for the Co. Council in 1942 and was beaten by seven votes but was elected in 1945 and held the seat continuously until last year when he did not go forward.

He served for similar lengthy periods on Co. County Kildare Committee of Agriculture, Carlow Mental Health Board. He was presented with a silver tray in 1971 by the then Taoiseach, Mr. Lynch, for his long service to the Fianna Fail party and in 1970, he assisted former President Nixon with vast store of local knowledge during his visit to Timahoe. The President later presented him with a gold pin.