Dorothy Cunningham

Dorothy Cunningham
née Haslam
Personal information
NationalityBritish (Northern Irish)
Bornc.1949[1]
Sport
SportBadminton
ClubMalone
St. Jude's BC
Medal record
Representing  Northern Ireland
Irish Nationals
1977 singles
1975–76 women's doubles
1977 mixed doubles
Irish Open
1978 singles

Dorothy Cunningham née Dorothy Haslam (born c.1949) is a former international badminton player from Northern Ireland who competed at two Commonwealth Games and was a four-time champion of Ireland.

Biography

Born Dorothy Haslam, she represented Ulster at the provincial level[2] and all-Ireland at the international level.[3] Haslam made her Irish debut on 21 November 1968.[4]

She married a fellow badminton player called Frank Cunningham[5] and played under her married name thereafter and in 1972 switched clubs from Malone to St. Judes.[6] Cunningham won the 1976 Ulster Open and 1978 Irish Open.[7]

Although primarily a singles player,[8] she also played doubles and partners included John Scott,[2] Clifford Mcllwaine, Elizabeth Thompson, Yvonne Kelly and Barbara Beckett.[1]

Cunningham represented the Northern Irish team[9] at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand,[10] where she competed in the three events.[11]

Cunningham represented the Northern Irish team again at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada,[12] where she competed in the four events.[13]

She was a four-times Irish champion at the Irish National Badminton Championships, winning the singles in 1977, doubles in 1975 and 1976 and mixed doubles in 1977.[14]

Cunningham also represented Ulster at tennis.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Dorothy serves up a new first". Belfast Telegraph. 16 June 1977. p. 32. Retrieved 15 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ^ a b "John Scott - Dorothy Cunningham". Ireland's Saturday Night. 31 December 1977. p. 5. Retrieved 16 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "Dorothy is Irish star". Belfast Telegraph. 26 November 1976. p. 24. Retrieved 16 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ "Dorothy Haslam". Belfast News-Letter. 22 November 1968. p. 16. Retrieved 16 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Badminton hat-trick for Barker". Belfast Telegraph. 12 February 1977. p. 13. Retrieved 17 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Badminton changes". Belfast News-Letter. 17 October 1972. p. 12. Retrieved 17 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Jim gives Open miss". Belfast News-Letter. 6 November 1976. p. 10. Retrieved 16 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Fine win by David Doherty". Belfast News-Letter. 3 October 1973. p. 28. Retrieved 16 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Christchurch contenders". Belfast Telegraph. 6 October 1973. p. 14. Retrieved 15 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Mike Go For Gold". Ireland's Saturday Night. 19 January 1974. p. 7. Retrieved 15 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Northern Ireland Christchurch 1974". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  12. ^ "Julie (13) for Games". Belfast Telegraph. 13 June 1978. p. 22. Retrieved 15 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ "Medal Standings Edmonton 1978". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  14. ^ "Irish Senior Nationals Winners". Badminton Ireland. Retrieved 15 March 2026.