• Born 31 January 1914 Gort, Co Galway
• Died 20 April 1968 Dublin
• Educated Belvedere College, Dublin
• Occupation Draper
• Debut 14 August 1939 V Sir Julien Cahn's XI at Stamford Hall, Nottingham
• Cap Number 422
• Style Right hand bat, right arm medium pace.
• Teams Phoenix

Paddy Quinn, the eldest of four brothers who represented Phoenix and Ireland, was an aggressive right hand batsman, who, like his brothers, came to cricket and rugby at Belvedere College, after playing Gaelic and Hurling in Co Galway. Making his debut for Phoenix while still a schoolboy, he was to be ever present in the side for over 20 years scoring 5507 runs at 20.62 with a highest score of 97. His forthright methods brought him the Marchant Cup in 1944 - a feat emulated by his brother Frank in 1947 - with 500 runs at an average of 41. The four brothers were together in the side from 1940 to 1956, Paddy having also played, with his two immediate juniors Frank and Gerry in the three successive cup wins of 1937 - 1939.

In the 1939 Final at Rathmines, Phoenix - or rather Jimmy Boucher - bowled Leinster out for 199, then Paddy led off with a fine 56 preparing the way for match winning partnership between Boucher (58*) and George McVeagh (67*). Paddy, who led the side in 1940 and again in 1952, was also to the fore in two losing finals. In 1942, again at Observatory Lane, Dublin University posted a formidable 286 with Stanley Barnes, younger brother of RJ and JH, hitting a fine 83. Phoenix fell 41 runs short despite a good stand between David Pigot (The First) and who made 74 and Paddy with 71. In 1957 Phoenix were somewhat easily defeated by Leinster at Castle Avenue. Batting first they managed only 137 and would have been in an even worse state had Paddy, in his last final, not made a timely 60. However with Joe Caprani and Larry Warke in good form the Rathmines side got home by 7 wickets. Paddy continued to play for Phoenix well into the 1950s and was President of the club in 1962 and 1963.

Paddy's two appearances for Ireland came on the tour of England in August 1939 when cricket continued in what has been described as a state of unreality as German troops began to move towards the Polish border. Paddy's debut came in the first of two matches against Sir Julien Cahn's XI at the cricket loving baronet's Nottinghamshire mansion. After an evenly contested first innings, Ireland collapsed in the second innings, being able to make little of the unorthodox left arm spin of the Australian Jack Walsh who took 10/97 in the match, including Paddy, batting at 8, lbw for 9 in the first innings and bowled for 14 in the second. Walsh, whose "chinaman" was famously difficult to read, was to be a major force for Leicestershire after the war.

He took 1190 first class wickets and was good enough lower order batsman to do the double in 1952. A drawn match with MCC at Lord's followed, Ireland being, perhaps, rather lucky to avoid defeat. In reply to MCC's 188 - to which the future oracular cricket correspondent of The Daily Telegraph, EW Swanton, contributed 3, Ireland were bowled out for 128, Paddy, going for his shots, topscored with 35, having the lion's share of the best stand of the innings, 55 for the 7th wicket with James Macdonald who made a more cautious 34. Chief destroyer of the Irish batting was the fast medium John Nevison, who had 6-46 including Paddy, but otherwise had a brief and undistinguished career in major cricket. Set 241 to win, EWS having done better in his second innings, Ireland finished on 140-6, Paddy did not bat.

Like his three siblings Paddy was also a fine rugby player both at school and later for Old Belvedere, who did not gain senior status until 1937/38. He gained senior interprovincial honours and was a member of the Old Belvedere side which won the Leinster Senior Cup in the 1939/40 and 1940/41 seasons. He was captain in the latter season after which he retired. It is worth noting that they did not win a match in the competition until the first of their triumphant seasons. Paddy remained closely involved with the club, which went on to win the Cup for the next five years.

Patrick Joseph Quinn will always be remembered as a hugely popular and highly talented player of the two games he loved.