Patrick Scott was born in Kilbrittain, County Cork, in 1921,[2][3] and had his first exhibition in 1944, but trained as an architect and did not become a full-time artist until 1960.

He worked for fifteen years for the Irish architect Michael Scott, assisting, for example, in the design of Busáras, the central bus station in Dublin.

[citation needed] In October 2013, Scott wed his companion of 30 years, Eric Pearce, in a civil ceremony at the Dublin Registry Office.

[5] On 11 July 2007, Scott, who was a founding member of Aosdána, was conferred with the title of Saoi, the highest honour that can be bestowed upon an Irish artist.

The President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, made the presentation, placing a gold torc, the symbol of the office of Saoi, around his neck.