Tim Pat Coogan

About

Author, broadcaster, and newspaper columnist who served as editor of the now-defunct Irish Press newspaper between the years 1968 and 1987. He has written numerous books throughout his career including Disillusioned Decades, The Famine Plot, On the Blanket, and the biographies of Irish revolutionary Michael Collins and political leader Eamon De Valera.

Before Fame

He attended the Congregation of the Irish Christian Brothers, Belvedere College, and Blackrock College for his primary education. His debut novel, titled "Ireland Since the Rising," was published in the year 1966.

Trivia

Long-considered to be Ireland's best known historical writer, his career as an author, journalist, and historian earned him the opportunity to travel to many corners of the globe and interview a diverse array of impactful figures including former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Family Life

He was born to former journalist and novelist Beatrice Toal and former first deputy commissioner of the Garda Síochána Irish police force Ned Coogan. He was the eldest of their three children. He married Cherry Coogan, whom he had known since they were teenagers, and they parented six children. During his marriage, he engaged in a passionate, yet controversial affair with a St. Patrick's College English professor named Barbara Hayley. The affair lasted over six years and resulted in the eventual dissolution of his marriage to Cherry. However, Barbara was tragically killed in a car accident before they could continue their lives together.

Associated With

He served as the editor of The Irish Press between 1968 and 1987. During that time, he worked with journalists and columnists including Benedict Kiely, Brendan Behan, and Vincent Browne.