Walter McDonald was an Irish Roman Catholic priest, theologian and Professor.
Dr McDonald served as prefect of the Postgraduate students in Dunboyne Establishment in Maynooth, founding the Irish Theological Quarterly in 1909, which ceased publication after his death, but was re-published from 1954 on, and still published today from Maynooth College.
[2][3] He maintained a wide circle of friends including the playwright Sean O'Casey and other figures in Irish cultural life.
[4] In the bicentenary history of Maynooth by Patrick Corish one reviewer assesses McDonald's place in that history as merited because he was "the only original theologian Maynooth produced in its first century" who had to "resort to extraordinary means so that his criticisms of seminary education could be published posthumously.
"[5] This is a reference to his posthumously published reminiscences in which the independent, outspoken and greatly loved scholar-priest, deplored teaching through Latin and the absence of "free and open competition in all appointments to the staff.