User:Cdonnmag/sandbox

Family and Early Career
Dr. Patricia (Pat) Donlon has worked as a librarian, lecturer, author, researcher and book collector. Patricia Anne Donlon (neé McCarthy) was born January 28th, 1943 in Dublin, Ireland, to parents Patrick Joseph McCarthy and Marcella Garr. Her father worked as a Garda.

As a young child, Donlon attended Miss McGuire's school in Dolphin's Barn, where she discovered her love of reading. She then attended Holy Faith Convent, the Coombe, where she excelled academically.

Donlon studied French and Spanish for her undergraduate degree at University College Dublin, and graduated with honours in 1964. She later undertook a doctorate degree in Spanish literature in 1974, and a diploma in Library and Information Studies in 1979, both also in UCD.

Donlon began her professional career working as a researcher at RTÉ in 1964.

Following her diploma in Library and Information Studies in University College Dublin, Donlon's career in the library field began with a job as a library assistant at the Royal Veterinary College in Ballsbridge. She then took a job at the Royal Irish Academy in 1979. She became a reference librarian and curator of the Western Collection at the Chester Beatty Library in 1981.

Patricia married Phelim Donlon, a former Arts Council drama officer, in September of 1965, when she was 22 years old. The couple have two daughters, Lorna and Sinéad.

Phelim passed away in December 2014.