New Britain herald., 1928-06-07
C0SGRAVE HAS HAD
 THRILLING CAREER
Irish Free State President Once
 Sentenced to Die

Dublin. Irish Free State. June : F1Nllllam T. Cosgrave first came to pubic notice 12 years ago when hls name appeared Tn the list of persons arrested in connection with the Easter rebellion. He was San tenced to death. but the sentence was commuted to life lmprlsonn1ent and finally he was freed, Today he is the leader of the Irish Free State
 President Cosgrave's average day Is q busy one. He Is at his office early and late, He attends to every detail of government business and receives lnnumerahle deputatlons from every part of the country, But stlll he finds time for attendance at public and social functions designed to advance Irish culture in arts and science, or 10 promote the cause of Clarity.
 The chief note of all Mir. Cos graves speeches IS optimism. Ills belief ln the possibilities of hls coun- try IS profound, and nothing SO promptly stlrs his indignation as the moanlngS Of pesslmlsts who, in the Irish phrase, make d poor mouth" over the nations prospects.
 No man IS moro welcome at an informal social gathering. 4 brll- liant story teller, the Irish president enllvens even a dull occasion with flashes Of humor,
 The presidential residence is a modest villa on the outskirts of Dub lin city, If was destroyed in the civil war. but has been rebuilt.
 Of notable dignity on public oc- Casionr in private life President Cosgraye IS free from any trace of stiffness or pretense. He has no fads or ecCentricltles. He lives the nor nal life of the average Irlshman. He is not 8 teetotaller. but IS very moderate wet " His chief. and practically sole amusement is hunt ing,
 Every lrlshman loves d horse, and President tosgraNe is never happier than when astride his favorlte mount following the hounds. and generally in the first flight In this sport he has found 9 Congenlal splr- 1t in American Minister Sterling, who also finds i'll hunting his chief relaxation. The two are close per sonal friends.
 The official car, is in charge of an official chauffeur of course. though l have seen President Cos grave, in the days when his life was threatened. driving the car himself from office to home He has flown in an airplane. not for amusement, but because it was the quickest way to a political meeting.
 With much interest in music. President Cosgraves taste is old fashioned. Under his preside ncy the state has established a first class army school of music, and organized army bands, under the conductor- ship of Col Fritz Erase, once an im- perial handmaster in Berlin.
 The love of music runs in his family, for the presidents half sis- ter, Miss Joan Burke is one of the most distinguished of Irish concert and oreratlc singers.
 The president is d great admlrer and warm personal friend of John MCCormack, and he never misses a Mccormack concert. He supported | the state radio stations at Dublin | and Cork and from time to time his l voice has been heard over the micro- phone. In 8. year or two It may be 1 heard in America for 3, new high | power station. as loud as Daventry, | Is 10 be erected at Athlone,
 It is noteworthy that Mir. Cos | grave has gained the esteem of Irish | Protestants though he IS known 10 he strict and practical Catholic. To | describe him as a regular church l goer would be a conslderah hle under statement. He goes to mass often and, though unostentatlous in his plety. he IS known to he 3. deeply l religious man. He has never taken any part m religious controversies, or distinguished in his personal friendships between men of one re- ligion and another. But his religion goes deep. He has even made the pilgrimage to Loughderge, a partlcu- larly hard trial even for the most robust.
 That pilgrimage dates from the days of St Patrick, and was very fa- nous in medieval times. Each pill grim observes a rigorous fast for three days, Only one meal is allow ed, and that consists of dry bread and black tea. There IS an all night