CARLOS, Mary J.

VHP0005

Mary J.

Carlos

Mary Josephine Carlos

Nina Carlos

Mary Josephine (Nina) Carlos went to UCG in 1920 and graduated with a 1st class honours BA degree in 1923, followed by a Higher Diploma in Education in 1924. She married Professor Tom Dinan on 17th September 1942. Nina Carlos Dinan died on 2nd September 1984.

Mary Josephine Carlos, usually known as Nina, was born in Galway in 1905, the third child and second daughter of Charles Carlos and Charlotte Shortle. The Carlos family lived in Woodquay, Galway, until moving to a new residence in Ballina Co. Mayo in 1912. This move was as a result of a career change by Charles Carlos, who retired from the R.I.C. in that year, having reach Head Constable rank at that time. Her mother Charlotte was a National School teacher who held several positions in the west of Ireland prior to this time. Nina attended the secondary school at the Mercy Convent in Ballina to begin with, but as conditions in Ireland became more fraught during the war of Independence, she followed her sister Rita to the Dominican Convent boarding school in Eccles Street, Dublin. She completed her secondary school education there, and followed Rita back to Galway and U.C.G. Here, she began her B A. course in 1920, having obtained an Ordinary Entrance Scholarship to U.C.G. She graduated in 1923 with a 1st class Honours Degree in Arts. The following year, she completed her H.Dip. in Education with 2nd class honours. She began a career in teaching, and taught in a variety of schools in Galway city and county, and in counties Mayo and Sligo. Her father Charles Carlos died in 1940, and her widowed mother moved to Newcastle to reside with her as yet unmarried daughter. She acquired a bungalow in Newcastle to accommodate them both, and became acquainted with a neighbour, Thomas Dinan. He had been born in Loughrea in 1890, and was working as a National School teacher at Ahascragh in 1911, at the age of 20. By 1927, he had attained a Masters in Science, and became Professor of Natural History in U.C.G. Thomas John Dinan was to marry Nina Carlos in St. Andrew’s church, Dublin, on 17th December 1942. They had no children, but they travelled extensively together, and had a particular fondness for rural Spain. Thomas was to retire from U.C.G. around 1955. They purchased a house in Salthill at this time, and to enjoy the salty air they both enjoyed. Mrs. Charlotte Carlos was to die there in 1960 after a very long life, and was buried in Ballina with her husband. Professor Dinan died on 12th May 1966, and was buried in Galway. Nina survived him by almost two decades, living alone in Salthill. She died on 2nd December, 1984.

Personal communication: Patrick Larkin, via email correspondence on 7 July 2023.

Patrick Larkin, 'Mary J. Carlos', Visual History Retired Staff Collection, University of Galway Digital Collections, Asset Id 13737, Archival Record Id  VHRS.

English

University of Galway Library

2023.10.04