Margaret (known as Rita) Clarke was born in 1893 in Castlemore, Ballaghaderren, Co. Roscommon, one of the 10 children of William Clarke and Kathleen Gordon. William was a miller and a justice of the peace.

Sometime during her childhood Rita and her family moved to Dublin where they lived on Elgin Road in Ballsbridge. Rita later emigrated to Australia where she met her husband, Andrew McDonald. They had two children, Nuala and Maureen. Rita died in Perth in 1972.

Rita was a granddaughter of Thomas Gordon and a first cousin of Cormac Gordon and Frank, Mona and Sheila Gordon (see previous photos).