Readers Blog: Legacy of Cosgraves is multi-faceted

The death of Liam T Cosgrave is being greeted with genuine sadness by the vast majority of Irish people of all political persuasions.

His contribution to democracy in Ireland is very considerable, as was the contribution of his father William T Cosgrave. One of the items shown on the RTÉ tribute to Liam T Cosgrave (RTÉ News 9pm October 4) showed him defending his father’s decision to authorise the execution of republican prisoners during the Civil War in 1922.

Lest we forget, these extracts from historian Diarmaid Ferriter’s book A Nation and Not a Rabble: The Irish Revolution 1913-23, describe the reality of what arguably amount to war crimes committed with the approval of William T Cosgrave.