Donal Smith

Donal Ian Brice Smith He was educated at Auckland Grammar School and at University of Auckland, taking a BA in 1954 and an MA the following year. Later that year, he matriculated at Merton College, Oxford, spending the next four years studying for his DPhil. His doctoral thesis was titled An edition of The rehearsal transpros'd by Andrew Marvell, with introduction and commentary.

In 1959, Smith married Marjory Jill Evans,

Athletic career In 1958, Smith finished fifth in the final of the 880 yards at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff. At the 1960 Summer Olympics, he was eliminated in the quarter-final of the 800 metres.

Academic career After a period at the University of Toronto, Smith was appointed a professor of English at the University of Auckland in 1973. When he retired in 2000, he was accorded the title of professor emeritus.

Death Smith died on 27 September 2023, at the age of 89.