Eamonn Coogan

Eamonn Coogan (30 November 1896 – 22 January 1948) was an Irish Fine Gael politician, barrister and Deputy Commissioner of the Garda Síochána.

Early life He was born in Castlecomer, County Kilkenny, the only son of Timothy Coogan, a shopkeeper, and Bridget Coogan (née Joyce). He was educated at Castlecomer national school; St Kieran's College, Kilkenny; St Mary's College, County Carlow; and University College Dublin, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce.

War of Independence During the Irish War of Independence, Coogan and another man were ordered by Michael Collins to kill two young women who had been passing on information to the police. Coogan did not shoot them because he thought they were "very young and very beautiful". On the British government's suppression of the Technical Institute in May 1920, he spent some time organising Volunteers in Kilkenny before joining colleagues from the Limerick Technical Institute in the Dáil department of local government in September 1920. During this time he also served on the intelligence staff of the Volunteers. He was called to the bar in 1941, and built up an extensive practice during the short period before his entry into politics. He was elected a member of Dún Laoghaire borough council in August 1942. He died during the 1948 general election campaign, and polling was postponed in his constituency of Carlow–Kilkenny.

Death and personal life He married Beatrice Toal in 1928. The family resided in Monkstown, Dublin. They had three children, including the historian Tim Pat Coogan. Eamonn Coogan died on 22 January 1948 at the Meath Hospital, Dublin.