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My father Joe Cosgrove, who has died aged 93, became a doctor in Derry, Northern Ireland, in the 1940s, looking after the deprived areas of the Creggan and the Bogside. Joe and his brother Jim, both local GPs, tended to the health needs of people crammed into slum housing there.
One of six children of Peter and Annie Cosgrove, Joe was born in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, where his father owned a pub. Peter and Annie did everything to make sure their children had a good education. Joe went to St Patrick's school, Armagh, and studied medicine at University College, Dublin.
After Joe qualified, he moved to Derry with his new wife, Bride Comerford, whom he had married in 1945. He embraced the concept of the National Health Service, which would save many lives. The British Medical Association of Northern Ireland honoured him by making him the first Roman Catholic president of their organisation.
When the troubles broke out in the late 60s and the civil rights campaign secured one man one vote, my father stood for the Alliance party in the Derry council elections. In 1973 he was elected, under the new proportional representation system, on the first count. He supported the Alliance party because he wanted to end completely the sectarian bigotry in the north of Ireland. He was a strong believer in liberal values and did not support violence.
Joe was an avid amateur radio hack and even once contacted King Hussein of Jordan. He also enjoyed boating, cycling and swimming in the sea. He came from rural Ireland and always dressed as though he did – when my mother allowed it. Joe is survived by Bride, to whom he was devoted; four daughters, Eithne, Dorcas, Clare and Anne; nine sons, John, Paul, Joe, Gerard, Patrick, Philip, Arthur, Colm and Conor; 31 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His son Peter and daughter Mary predeceased him.
