Son of the late Terence and Elizabeth (nee Gorman) Cosgrove, Neil is the oldest of four children, with sisters Nancy, Monica, and Colleen. His father was a 28-year veteran of the NYPD, retiring with the rank of Captain, while his mother worked at Metropolitan Life Insurance in Pearl River. Neil’s parents instilled in him and his sisters at an early age an appreciation of his Irish heritage. His paternal grandparents emigrated from Shinrone, County Offaly, and his maternal relatives from Munster. In his youth, his paternal Grandfather had been active in the land reform movement, resulting in him being imprisoned at “Her Majesty’s pleasure”; two of his maternal relatives were captains in the ‘Fighting’ 69th New York regiment.
A graduate of Clarkstown High School South, Neil attended Manhattan College, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree with majors in physics and mathematics and where he has fond memories of being an active member of the Gaelic Society. Neil earned a master’s degree in computer science from the Polytechnic Institute of New York, now part of NYU. He is currently employed as a Technical Project Manager at ActiveViam Corporation.
Neil is an active member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and is involved in its support of Irish causes. Neil serves as the Recording Secretary and Division Historian of AOH Division 3 in Pearl River and is a Division’s Scholarship Committee member. Similarly, he has been the Recording Secretary of the AOH County Board for sixteen years. He is a Rockland County St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee member and was previously a member of the N.Y./Rockland AOH convention team and the 100th Anniversary of the Easter Rising Committee. Neil also serves on the National Board of the Ancient Order of Hibernians as the Political Education Chair, Anti-Defamation Chair, and Irish American Heritage Month Chairman.
As the Political Education Chair of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Neil shaped the Order’s message and activities in response to Brexit, particularly ensuring that there would not be the return of a hard, militarized border in Ireland. Neil wrote several point papers to Congress advising of the risk that Brexit posed to the Good Friday Agreement and the peace it had produced. He also contributed multiple editorials and Op-Eds informing the broader public about the dangers of Brexit to Ireland’s peace. Neil is currently active in opposing the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act, which is an attempt by the British government to deny victims of the conflict in Northern Ireland justice while airbrushing the true nature of Britain’s role in the conflict. However, perhaps Neil’s proudest Political Education moment was when he led a successful campaign to have the last remaining destroyer in the U.S. Navy’s current class commissioned after a young Irish immigrant who, as so many before him, made the ultimate sacrifice for his country while serving in Viet Nam.
Neil has been an ardent campaigner against the proliferation of bigoted and denigrating stereotypes targeting the Irish and Irish Americans. He has written multiple articles that have been featured in the Daily News, New York Post, Washington Post, and other media outlets speaking out against defamation. As the National Anti-Defamation Chair, Neil convinced the Overseas Press Club to remove the name of virulent anti-Irish bigot Thomas Nast from their prestigious award for Editorial Cartooning. Similarly, he influenced the Massachusetts Historical Society to revise its exhibit on Thomas Nast to acknowledge Nast’s prejudices. Neil has secured agreements from several of our Nation’s Retailers, including America’s largest retailer, Walmart, to remove bigoted merchandise dealing in anti-Irish stereotypes from their stores during the St. Patrick’s Day season.
Neil also serves as the National Chair of the Irish American Heritage Month committee, a program dedicated to ensuring that the contributions that Irish and Irish American men and women have made to our nation are known and respected. Neil has produced an annual Irish American Heritage Month video and a daily profile series on notable Irish Americans. Last year’s video reached over 800,000 individuals, and one profile with a Rockland connection on the tragic 9/11 deaths of the Foley Brothers had over 10,000 reactions. Neil edited the book “From Irish Immigrants to American Heroes: Inspiring Tales of the Irish American Contribution to the United States,” a collection of these Irish American Heritage Month profiles.
Neil has received many awards: he was AOH Division 3 Hibernian of the Year in 2008; in 2014, he was Aide to the Grand Marshal NYC in 2014; in 2016, he was selected as Rockland County 2016 Hibernian of the Year; in 2018, Neil received the first Commodore Barry Medal presented by the National Board at the National Convention for service to the Order; in 2019, Neil was selected “Man of the Year” by the MacBride Chapter of Irish Northern Aid; in 2023, he was presented with an award for service to the Order at the New York State Convention.
Neil is married to Margaret Cosgrove (nee Adams), originally a native of Glasgow, Scotland. He is the proud father of Kara. Kara was an ardent Irish dancer and musician; in her support, Neil and his wife Margaret helped organize her dance school’s annual feis for many years. Neil is the proud Grandfather of Sean Joseph and loves to watch him play Gaelic football and hurling for the Rockland GAA. Neil is looking forward to seeing Sean play in Ireland this year.
Neil is incredibly honored to be nominated by the brothers of Division 3 for this year’s Rockland County Saint Patrick’s Day Grand Marshal.