Patrick Michael Quinlan (7 December 1919 – 8 November 2001) was an Irish academic and member of Seanad Éireann from 1957 to 1977. ^[1]

He was born near Kilfinane, County Limerick on 7 December 1919, to farmer Jeremiah Quinlan and his wife, Josephine (née Casey). ^{[2] [3]} He was educated at CBS Charleville School, County Cork, and at St Munchin's College in Limerick. ^[2] In 1938, he attended University College Cork (UCC), where he studied civil engineering. ^[2] He continued his studies at UCC in mathematical science, graduating with a B.Sc. (1942) and M.Sc. (1943).

He completed his PhD at California Institute of Technology in 1949. ^[4] He was professor of mathematical physics at University College Cork. He was a member of the governing body of UCC, and a fellow of the Institute of Advanced Studies from 1971. ^[3] In 1967, he was awarded a Higher Doctorate, the DSc from the National University of Ireland and in 1978, he was elected a member of the Royal Irish Academy. He was a founder member of the National Committee for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics in 1983. ^[4]

He was elected to the 9th Seanad in 1957 for the National University constituency. ^[1] He was re-elected to the Seanad in 1961, 1965, 1969 and 1973. He did not contest the 1977 Seanad election. ^[1]

He authored many publications, including A Dynamic Model of the Irish Economy (1961), and The Edge Function Method (1968). ^[3]

On 14 February 1946, Quinlan married a fellow UCC graduate, Jane Healy. ^[2] They had one son and four daughters. He died on 8 November 2001 in Cork. ^[2]

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