Death of Jack Cosgrave: One of the most colourful characters in the Dublin property industry, Mr Jack Cosgrave, has died at St Vincent's Private Hospital in Dublin at the age of 73.

He was instrumental in founding the housebuilding family firm of Cosgrave Brothers in 1979. That firm, run by four of his sons and a daughter, has since become one of the largest and most successful property developers in the Dublin area.

Mr Cosgrave lived all his life in the original family home in Churchtown where he and his father once farmed the adjoining land.

Cosgrave Brothers (now known as the Cosgrave Property Group) was founded after it bought five housing sites in Stillorgan from the former property developer Patrick Gallagher. The firm grew rapidly and went on to complete Morehampton Square in Donnybrook, Cowper Downs in Rathmines and Chesterfield in Castleknock.

By the time it had completed the huge Sweepstakes apartment and housing development in Ballsbridge, it was one of the major players in the Dublin market.

In more recent years, it also moved into the commercial property market and, by a mixture of luck and good timing, managed to develop and lease the massive George's Quay office development opposite the Custom House.

Mr Cosgrave was extremely proud of his family's achievements over 25 years and during the 1990s was co-founder of another house-building firm, Jackson Homes. He had a life long interest in snooker and, since 1975, owned Jasons snooker hall in Ranelagh where former world champion Ken Doherty first learned the game.

Mr Cosgrave is survived by his wife, Pat, sons, Joe, Peter, Michael and Willie, and daughters, Helen and Patricia.