We were deeply saddened to hear of the death of Paddy Cosgrove QC.
Paddy was a staunch supporter of Stop the War Coalition and spoke on the
platform at many Tyneside Stop the War Coalition meetings.
At the time of the most recent national demonstration in November Paddy
contacted us to say "would have loved to be there for demo, but ill and in
Aberdeen!"
We send our sincere sympathies & condolences to his family and our thanks
for his lifelong commitment to fighting for peace and justice. He will be
greatly missed.
Tyneside Stop the War Coalition
Touching tributes paid to Whitley Bay barrister
by Andrew Glover, The Journal
Feb 1 2011
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Paddy Cosgrove with Steve CramA LEADING barrister from the North East who died last week has been described as "the best of his generation".
Paddy Cosgrove QC, from Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, died after a long illness on January 26. His wife Joan last night paid tribute to her “clever and caring” husband.
Mrs Cosgrove said: “He was my life and I can’t believe he’s gone. He was so loving and caring, he was the most beautiful human being I have ever met.”
Mr Cosgrove is survived by four girls and three grandchildren.
A former schoolteacher and North Tyneside councillor, Mr Cosgrove had suffered heart and kidney problems in recent years. He represented North Tyneside Council for 20 years from 1974.
Jim Allan, leader of the Labour group on North Tyneside Council, said Mr Cosgrove had been a good friend who worked as tenaciously for the people of Whitley Bay as he did his legal clients.
He said: “Paddy will be sadly missed in North Tyneside. He always played a part. Even from the sidelines he made a valuable contribution.
“He was a really genuine person and it’s tragic that he has been taken from us. I have a lot of happy memories of him.”
The 63-year-old stood for Parliament on three occasions in the Tynemouth constituency.
The current MP for Tynemouth, Alan Campbell said: “Although Paddy had been unwell for some time his death still comes as a shock. Throughout his political and professional life he gave a voice to the weak and powerless even when it was unfashionable or controversial to do so.”
Mr Cosgrove was a devout Catholic and his wife said his faith gave him all his principles. He had a bad fall last June and fractured his back and spent a lot of time in Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital. Mrs Cosgrove paid tribute to the support the family received from the “absolutely fantastic” Marie Curie Centre in Newcastle.
His funeral in Newcastle on Friday will be attended by barristers and solicitors from all over the country. Mr Cosgrove joined the Bar in 1976 and went on to take silk in 1994.
He specialised in criminal cases and mainly practised in Newcastle and Manchester.
Brian Bell, senior clerk at Broad Chare Chambers in Newcastle, worked alongside Mr Cosgrove for many years.
He said: “Paddy was a great man. I don’t think in all my time I have ever come across someone who was more of a man of the people. He was brilliant with juries, his closing speeches would draw huge crowds, he was softly spoken and sometimes dramatic. He had no idea how good he was.
“One letter we received from a senior barrister in Manchester praised his ‘immense skill and modest personality’. The sender said they hoped they might learn to emulate his example.”
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