Measaim go mba mhian leis an Teach go ndéanfaí tagairt don Uasal Liam T. MacCosgair a fuair bás le gairid.
Death of William T. Cosgrave.
I feel I am interpreting the wishes of the House by departing from precedent today to refer to the passing of Mr. William T. Cosgrave, solas na bhflaitheas dó, which occurred since our last meeting. He was present at the birth of the Irish Volunteers and in the battle lines of Easter Week. His long and distinguished career of public service, embracing the Dublin City Council, the Department of Local Government of the First Dáil, the leadership of the Government and subsequently of the Opposition, ensures him a permanent place in the history of our times.
William T. Cosgrave and many others of that select and gallant company who blazed the trail to freedom will not be with us to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Rising but he and they will be remembered in our prayers when the trumpets sound the Last Post at the GPO and wherever Irish people gather on that historic occasion.
May I ask you, a Chathaoirleach, to convey to his son, Deputy Liam Cosgrave and to the other members of his family, the sincere sympathy of the Members of Seanad Éireann?
Throughout his long public life, which Senator Ó Maoláin has outlined for us, W. T. Cosgrave applied himself to each successive task which he faced with courage and with vision. Naturally, his life and work carry different meanings, a different significance, for each Senator. Some of us here differed from him politically; others of us were separated from him by a generation. Yet, all who participate in the work of this Parliament are indebted to the man who was, above all, the chief architect of our democratic institutions. The fact that we can all join in tribute to him here today and the manner in which the whole nation paid tribute to him last week, provide the final proof that his work for Ireland was well and wisely done. The best way in which we, as Senators, can acknowledge his contribution to national affairs is to imitate the manner in which he carried out his public duties, with diligence and devotion without the slightest hint of fear or favour, looking beyond the interest of any individual group and beyond the immediate needs of his own generation to the eventual establishment of a stable, prosperous and well-ordered society. May his soul rest in peace. May his life's work endure.
It is right that we should depart from precedent on this occasion to express our condolences on the death of the former President of the Executive Council, William T. Cosgrave. As the Leader of the House said, William T. Cosgrave was a courageous man. He was willing, with many others, to lay down his life in the cause of Irish freedom. I think we will remember him better, however, for his quiet courage in terribly difficult days and for persisting in his efforts to establish parliamentary democracy in this country. On behalf of the Labour Party in this House, I join in this tribute and in the expression of condolences on the death of William T. Cosgrave.
I should like to have the honour of being associated with this tribute to one of the great figures in our country's history. I am sure the great majority of the graduates of the university which I happen to represent will wish me to speak on their behalf, and I know that I will be speaking on behalf of the religious minority in this country. At a time of grave stress and strain, Mr. Cosgrave stood firm. He preserved his integrity. He steered the ship of State on its course for ten vital years. In my opinion, one of the best tributes ever paid to him was by an American journalist who was present at the Treaty debates in 1922. I quote from memory but what he said was something like this, when he heard Mr. Cosgrave speaking at those debates: "This guy is a good guy; he tries to keep people together." In a country much divided in the past, and still somewhat divided at present, one could hardly aspire to a better epitaph. So I gladly offer this tribute to the memory of a great man,—all the greater for being a quiet, unpretentious man.
Members rose in their places.
Cuirfear cómhbhrón an Tí in iúl do mhuintir Mhic Chosgair.