Former Irish Times environment editor Frank McDonald dies aged 76

Journalist and environmental campaigner Frank McDonald, the former environment editor of the Irish Times, has died at the age of 76.

McDonald served as the environment editor of the Irish Times until 2015, focusing his reporting on climate action, architecture, urban design, and the planning process. He began his journalistic career at the Irish Press before moving to the Irish Times in 1979, where he was appointed environment correspondent in 1986.

Alongside his professional reporting, McDonald was a committed campaigner for the preservation of Dublin city. He was heavily involved in the campaign to save the historic Wood Quay Viking site from redevelopment. His work in journalism and activism earned him a reputation as a fierce critic of municipal planning decisions.

McDonald also authored several influential books on urban planning and development. His 1985 publication, *The Destruction of Dublin*, detailed the demolition of historic Georgian areas of the capital by developers and planners during the 1960s and 1970s. His other written works included *Saving the City* and *The Construction of Dublin*.