Mr Cosgrave, whose full name was William Michael ‘Liam’ Cosgrave, was the oldest living former Taoiseach and the oldest former prime minister in Europe.
He served as Taoiseach from 1973 to 1977 and lader of the Fine Gael Party from 1965 to 1977.
The son of W T Cosgrave, the first President of the Executive Council in the newly formed Irish Free State.
A former barrister, he became Minister for External Affairs when he helped Ireland’s successful entry into the United Nations.
His Government signed the Sunningdale Agreement which promised to provide a solution to the Northern Ireland problem in December 1973.
However, it all came crashing down in May the next year due to the Ulster Workers’ Council Strike.
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