Dorothy Donaldson

Dorothy Cunningham Donaldson ( Brown) (1915 – 4 September 2011) was an Irish sportswoman who was most prominent in the hockey, badminton and golf circles where she won a plethora of competitions during her 71-year playing career. She played for the Ireland women's national field hockey team between 1941 and 1947 except for the 1942 season. Donaldson was additionally a women's singles and mixed doubles champion in the Irish National Badminton Championships and until 1957 played for the Irish international team.

Early life and career She was born Dorothy Cunningham Brown in 1915 in the city of Waterford. Donaldson was educated at Newtown School, Waterford where her sporting skills were first noted in hockey, badminton, swimming and gymnastics. Her hockey career started in 1928 when the Munster Junior team selected her to play as a goaltender. Donaldson joined the Munster Senior team two years later and remained in the same position for the next seven years. She reached the finals of the 1931 Munster Badminton Championship, finishing as runner-up, but won the title the following year. Donaldson successfully defended the title and partnered with her brother Joe Brown, clinched the mixed doubles title. She once again won the singles title in 1934 and reclaimed the mixed doubles title with Fred South.

Donaldson went to the Scarborough College, Yorkshire in 1936 to study physical education (PE). She served as part of the Waterford county golf team that same year and reached the semi-finals of the Midland Trophy.where they lost to Kilkenny county. After earning her qualification a year later, Donaldson was appointed PE teacher at Oaklands Girls’ School and joined the local hockey club where she was chosen to be on the women's first team. She also played for the Yorkshire County Women's team against Lancashire and greatly impressed the English selectors in her game to the point where they invited her to trial for the England women's hockey team. However, since Donaldson was an Irish citizen, she had to decline the invitation. Donaldson was survived by her two sons, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.