Tim Pat Coogan
| Tim Pat Coogan | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Timothy Patrick Coogan 22 April 1935 Monkstown, County Dublin, Ireland |
| Occupation | Editor, broadcaster, journalist, writer |
| Notable credit(s) | Editor of The Irish Press (1968–87) |
| Spouse(s) | Cherry Coogan (marriage dissolved) |
| Children | 6 (five daughters, one son) |
Timothy Patrick "Tim Pat" Coogan (born 22 April 1935) is an Irish writer, broadcaster and newspaper columnist. He served as editor of The Irish Press newspaper from 1968-87. He has been best-known for such books as The IRA, Ireland Since the Rising, On the Blanket, and biographies of Michael Collins and Éamon de Valera. His biography of de Valera proved controversial, taking issue with the former Irish president's reputation and achievements, in favour of those of Collins, whom he regards as indispensable to the creation of the new State.
Coogan writes from a nationalist perspective. His particular focus has been Ireland's nationalist/independence movement in the 20th century; a period of unprecedented political upheaval. He has blamed the Troubles in Northern Ireland on "Paisleyism".Sean O'Callaghan, a former IRA paramilitary, turned informant for the Garda Síochána's Special Branch, said that Coogan's material was required reading for jailed IRA prisoners.
Coogan was born in Monkstown, County Dublin in 1935, the first of three children born to Beatrice (née Toal) and Ned Coogan. Ned (sometimes referred to as "Eamonn Ó Cuagain"), a native of Kilkenny, was an Irish Republican Army volunteer during the War of Independence and later served as the first Deputy Commissioner of the newly established Garda Síochána, then a Fine Gael TD for the Kilkenny constituency. Beatrice Toal, the daughter of a policeman, was a Dublin socialite who was crowned Dublin's Civic Queen of Beauty in 1927. She wrote for the Evening Herald and took part in various productions in the Abbey Theatre and Radio Éireann. Coogan spent many summer holidays in the town of Castlecomer in County Kilkenny, his father's home town.
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