One of Eilis’s fellow residents in Mrs. Kehoe’s house, Patty is from upstate New York and, like Eilis, works in a department store in Brooklyn. Along with Diana, she is what Eilis thinks of as “man-mad,” which greatly irritates Miss McAdam, Sheila Heffernan, and Mrs. Kehoe. When Eilis first moves in, Patty and Diana make an effort to befriend her, but Eilis chooses not to go out with them and their friends. However, she later regrets this decision when she finds herself stuck with Miss McAdam and Sheila Heffernan instead, though Patty continues to make an effort to introduce her to her friends.