Frank McDonald | |
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![]() McDonald speaking at the Walking Festival to End Dereliction, Dublin 2021 | |
Born | 1950 |
Nationality | Irish |
Education | St. Vincent's C.B.S. Glasnevin |
Alma mater | University College Dublin (UCD) |
Occupation(s) | Writer and journalist |
Employer | The Irish Times |
Spouse | Eamon Slater |
Frank McDonald (born 1950) is an author, journalist, environmentalist and former environment editor of The Irish Times .
McDonald began his journalism career as a freelance New York Correspondent for the Irish Press newspaper from 1972 to 1973, sub-editor with the Irish Press from 1973 to 1977 and reporter from 1977 to 1978. He joined the Irish Times in 1979, becoming Environment Correspondent in 1986, a post which he held until he was appointed Environment Editor in 2000. [1] Throughout his career, his writing has focused on planning and development in Dublin, from the demolition of parts of Georgian Dublin to the effect of Airbnb. [2] [3] He was a founding member of the Academy of Urbanism of Great Britain and Ireland. [1] McDonald retired from the Irish Times in 2015. [4]
He was born in Dublin in 1950, growing up in Cabra. [9] He was educated at Kelly's Private School Cabra Road, St. Vincent's C.B.S. Glasnevin and University College Dublin, [5] graduating with a BA (History and Politics) in 1971. During his time in UCD, he was editor of the Observer from 1970 to 1972, deputy president of Students' Representative Council from 1970 to 1971.[ citation needed ]
He has lived in the Temple Bar area of Dublin [3] since 1995. [10] He married his long-term partner, Eamon Slater, in 2016. [2]
In 2010, he admitted to hitting a female manager in the River House Hotel in Eustace Street, after becoming frustrated with the high level of noise coming from the hotel's Mezz bar and nightclub. [11] In a subsequent licensing case, the Dublin Circuit Court heard that complaints about the premises dated back over 15 years and the judge said they were "well-grounded", but the licence was ultimately renewed. [12]