W. T. Cosgrave

**William Thomas Cosgrave** (6 June 1880 – 16 November 1965) was an Irish Fine Gael politician. He was President of the Executive Council from 1922 to 1932 and Leader of the Opposition from 1932 to 1944.

Cosgrave was Leader of Fine Gael from 1934 to 1944, Leader of Cumann na nGaedheal from 1923 to 1933, Chairman of the Provisional Government from August 1922 to December 1922, President of Dáil Éireann from September 1922 to December 1922, Minister for Finance from 1922 to 1923 and Minister for Local Government from 1919 to 1922.

He was a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1921 to 1944.

He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the North Kilkenny constituency from 1918 to 1922.

Cosgrave never officially held the office of Taoiseach.

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: W. T. Cosgrave
- **image**: William Thomas Cosgrave.jpg
- **office**: President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State, President of the Executive Council
- **vicepresident**: Kevin O'Higgins
Ernest Blythe
- **term start**: 6 December 1922
- **term end**: 9 March 1932
- **predecessor**: _Himself_
as Chairman of the Provisional Government of the Irish Free State
- **successor**: Éamon de Valera
- **office1**: List of Irish Leaders of the Opposition, Leader of the Opposition
- **president1**: Douglas Hyde
- **taoiseach1**: Éamon de Valera
- **term start1**: 9 March 1932
- **term end1**: 11 January 1944
- **predecessor1**: Éamon de Valera
- **successor1**: Richard Mulcahy
- **office2**: Leader of Fine Gael
- **term start2**: 20 June 1934
- **term end2**: 30 May 1944
- **predecessor2**: Eoin O'Duffy
- **successor2**: Richard Mulcahy
- **office3**: Leader of Cumann na nGaedheal
- **term start3**: 20 April 1923
- **term end3**: 15 May 1933
- **predecessor3**: New office
- **successor3**: Office abolished
- **office4**: Chairman of the Provisional Government of the Irish Free State, Chairman of the Provisional Government
- **term start4**: 22 August 1922
- **term end4**: 6 December 1922
- **predecessor4**: Michael Collins (Irish leader), Michael Collins
- **successor4**: Office abolished
- **office5**: President of Dáil Éireann
- **term start5**: 9 September 1922
- **term end5**: 6 December 1922
- **predecessor5**: Arthur Griffith
- **successor5**: Office abolished
- **office6**: Minister for Finance (Ireland), Minister for Finance
- **president6**: Michael Collins
- **term start6**: 17 July 1922
- **term end6**: 21 September 1923
- **predecessor6**: Michael Collins
- **successor6**: Ernest Blythe
- **office7**: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Minister for Local Government
- **president7**: Michael Collins
- **term start7**: 2 April 1919
- **term end7**: 22 August 1922
- **predecessor7**: New office
- **successor7**: Ernest Blythe
- **office8**: Teachta Dála
- **term start8**: September 1927 Irish general election, September 1927
- **term end8**: 1944 Irish general election, May 1944
- **constituency8**: Cork Borough (Dáil constituency), Cork Borough
- **term start9**: 1921 Irish elections, May 1921
- **term end9**: September 1927 Irish general election, September 1927
- **constituency9**: Carlow–Kilkenny (Dáil constituency), Carlow–Kilkenny
- **office10**: Member of Parliament
for North Kilkenny (UK Parliament constituency), North Kilkenny
- **term start10**: 14 December 1918
- **term end10**: 26 October 1922
- **predecessor10**: Michael Meagher
- **successor10**: Office abolished
- **birth name**: William Thomas Cosgrave
- **birth place**: Inchicore, Dublin, Ireland
- **death place**: The Liberties, Dublin, Ireland
- **resting place**: Goldenbridge Cemetery, Inchicore, Dublin, Ireland
- **nationality**: Irish people, Irish
- **party**: Fine Gael
- **otherparty**: Sinn Féin
Cumann na nGaedheal
- **spouse**: Louisa Flanagan

- **children**: 2, including Liam Cosgrave, Liam
- **education**: Congregation of Christian Brothers, St. Joseph's School, Marino
- **rank**: Captain (armed forces), Captain
- **serviceyears**: 1913–16
- **battles**: Easter Rising