Frank McDonald (born 1950) is an author, journalist, environmentalist and former environment editor of ''
The Irish Times
''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...
''.
Career
McDonald began his journalism career as a freelance New York Correspondent for the ''
Irish Press
''The Irish Press'' ( Irish: ''Scéala Éireann'') was an Irish national daily newspaper published by Irish Press plc between 5 September 1931 and 25 May 1995.
Foundation
The paper's first issue was published on the eve of the 1931 All-Irelan ...
'' 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
''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...
'' in 1979, becoming Environment Correspondent in 1986, a post which he held until he was appointed Environment Editor in 2000.
Throughout his career, his writing has focused on planning and development in Dublin, from the demolition of parts of
Georgian Dublin
''Georgian Dublin'' is a phrase used in terms of the history of Dublin that has two interwoven meanings:
# to describe a historic period in the development of the city of Dublin, Ireland, from 1714 (the beginning of the reign of King George I ...
to the effect of
Airbnb
Airbnb, Inc. ( ), based in San Francisco, California, operates an online marketplace focused on short-term homestays and experiences. The company acts as a broker and charges a commission from each booking. The company was founded in 2008 by ...
.
He was a founding member of the Academy of Urbanism of Great Britain and Ireland.
McDonald retired from the ''Irish Times'' in 2015.
Awards
*Outstanding Work in Irish Journalism, 1979
*Lord Mayor's Millennium Medal, 1988
*Chartered Institute of Transport Journalist of the Year, 1998
*ESB National Media Award for Campaigning Journalism, 1999
*ESB National Media Award for Features (Print), 2003
*Lord Mayor's Award, 2003
*Honorary D.Phil., Dublin Institute of Technology, 2006
*Press Fellow, Wolfson College, Cambridge, Lent Term, 2008
*Honorary member, Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, 2010
*Honorary fellow, Royal Institute of British Architects, 2011
*Honorary Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, 2019
Bibliography
*''The Destruction of Dublin'', Gill and Macmillan, 1985
*''Saving the City'', Tomar, 1989
*''Ireland's Earthen Houses'' (jointly with Peigin Doyle), A&A Farmar, 1997
*''The Ecological Footprint of Cities'' (editor), International Institute for the Urban Environment, 1998
*''The Daily Globe: Environmental change, the public and the media'' (contributor), Earthscan, 2000
*''The Construction of Dublin'', Gandon Editions, 2000
*''Chaos at the Crossroads'' (jointly with James Nix), Gandon Books, 2005
*
*''Truly Frank'' (2018)
Personal life
He was born in Dublin in 1950, growing up in Cabra. He was educated at Kelly's Private School Cabra Road,
St. Vincent's C.B.S. Glasnevin
Glasnevin (, also known as ''Glas Naedhe'', meaning "stream of O'Naeidhe" after a local stream and an ancient chieftain) is a neighbourhood of Dublin, Ireland, situated on the River Tolka. While primarily residential, Glasnevin is also home to ...
and
University College Dublin
University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland ...
,
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.
He has lived in the
Temple Bar area of
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 cen ...
since 1995. He married his long-term partner, Eamon Slater, in 2016.
In 2010, he admitted to hitting a female manager in the River House Hotel in
Eustace Street
Eustace Street is a street in the Temple Bar area of Dublin, Ireland.
Location
Eustace Street runs from Wellington Quay (near Millennium Bridge) to Dame Street, with junctions with Essex Street East and Curved Street.
At the halfway point o ...
, after becoming frustrated with the high level of noise coming from the hotel's Mezz bar and nightclub.
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.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:McDonald, Frank
1950 births
Living people
The Irish Times people
Irish writers
Irish architectural historians