Dorothy Donaldson facts for kids

Dorothy Cunningham Donaldson (née Brown) was an amazing Irish sportswoman. She was born in 1915 and passed away in 2011. Dorothy was famous for playing hockey, badminton, and golf. She won many awards during her incredible 71-year sports career! She played for the Ireland women's national field hockey team from 1941 to 1947. Dorothy also won championships in badminton and played for the Irish international team until 1957.

Dorothy's Early Sporting Life

Dorothy Cunningham Brown was born in 1915 in Waterford, Ireland. She went to Newtown School, Waterford. This is where her talent for sports first shone! She was great at hockey, badminton, swimming, and gymnastics.

Starting Hockey and Badminton

Dorothy's hockey journey began in 1928. She was chosen to play as a goaltender for the Munster Junior team. Two years later, she joined the Munster Senior team. She stayed in that position for seven years.

In badminton, Dorothy reached the finals of the Munster Badminton Championship in 1931. She came in second place. But the very next year, she won the title! She defended her title successfully. She also teamed up with her brother, Joe Brown, to win the mixed doubles title. In 1934, she won the singles title again. She also reclaimed the mixed doubles title with Fred South.

Studying and Playing in England

In 1936, Dorothy went to Scarborough College in Yorkshire, England. She studied physical education (PE) there. That same year, she played for the Waterford county golf team. They reached the semi-finals of the Midland Trophy.

After getting her qualification in 1937, Dorothy became a PE teacher. She taught at Oaklands Girls’ School. She also joined a local hockey club. She was quickly chosen for the women's first team. She even played for the Yorkshire County Women's team. Her skills impressed the English selectors so much! They invited her to try out for the England women's hockey team. However, since Dorothy was an Irish citizen, she had to say no.

Returning to Ireland and International Play

Dorothy came back to Ireland in 1938. She rejoined her old team, the Munster Senior team. In 1939, she was the captain of the South East Ireland team. She played as a centre half.

In 1941, Dorothy married Basil Donaldson. He was a banker and also loved sports. The couple moved to Dublin. Dorothy then joined the Pembroke Wanderers Hockey Club. In 1941, she was chosen to play for the Ireland national team. She continued to play for Ireland until 1947. She took a break in 1942 because her first son was born. After her second son was born, Dorothy decided to retire from playing hockey for representative teams.

Later Sports Career and Legacy

Dorothy returned to playing badminton in 1949. She later won the Irish women's singles championship. She also won the mixed doubles title with Frank Peard. He was the top-ranked player in Ireland at that time.

Playing for Ireland in Badminton

Dorothy was chosen to play for the Irish international team against Scotland. She kept her spot on the team until 1957. During these years, she was a strong player for the Ailesbury Badminton Club. The club was so grateful for her contributions. They made her an honorary life member.

Golfing Achievements

In the late 1950s, Dorothy started playing golf again. She joined the Grange Golf Club in Dublin. She quickly became a very good player with a low handicap.

Dorothy joined the Grange Golf Club team. She played in the Irish Women's Senior Club. She was part of many memorable matches for the club. She also won many club competitions. For example, in June 1993, she won the Grange Golf Club President's Prize. She had a great score of 67. In 1997, the club made her an honorary associate member.

Dorothy stopped playing sports in 1999. Her husband became ill, and she wanted to take care of him at home. Basil passed away in 2001. Dorothy Donaldson passed away on September 4, 2011, in Dublin. She is remembered by her two sons, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.