Seán Donnelly

{{Short description|Irish Gaelic footballer and manager (1940–2024}}

{{Infobox Gaelic games player

| code = Football

| sport = Gaelic football

| image =

| name = Seán Donnelly

| irish = Seán Ó Donnaile

| feet =

| inches =

| occupation = Secondary school teacher

| nickname =

| county = Longford

| province = Leinster

| club = Longford Slashers

| clubs =

| clyears = 1959–1982

| clapps(points) =

| clcounty = 4

| clprovince =

| clallireland =

| colleges = University College Galway

| colyears = 1959–1964

| sig = 3

| counties = Longford

| icposition = Left corner-forward

| icyears = 1959–1973

| icapps(points) = 29 (12–7)

| icprovince = 1

| icallireland = 0

| nfl = 1

| allstars =

| clupdate =

| icupdate =

| birth_date = {{birth date text|1940}}

| birth_place = Longford, Ireland

| death_date = {{death date and given age|df=y|2024|01|02|83}}

| death_place = Longford, Ireland

}}

Seán Donnelly (1940 – 2 January 2024) was an Irish Gaelic footballer, administrator and manager. He played at club level with Longford Slashers and at inter-county level with the Longford senior football team. Donnelly also served as county board officer and manager.

Playing career

Donnelly first played Gaelic football to a high standard as a schoolboy at St Mel's College. He later became a member of the University College Galway team that reached four successive Sigerson Cup finals between 1961 and 1964, winning three titles in 1961, 1963 and 1964.{{cite news|url=https://www.gaa.ie/the-gaa/oral-history/sean-donnelly/|title=Seán Donnelly|publisher=GAA website|date=|access-date=4 January 2024}} Donnelly's performances also earned his inclusion on the Combined Universities team.

At club level, Donnelly joined the newly-formed Longford Slashers and won a Longford MFC medal in 1958. His adult club career lasted for nearly 25 years and spanned four decades, during which time he won Longford SFC medals in 1959, 1961, 1971 and as player-manager in 1975. Donnelly also spent some summers during the early part of his club career playing in England and he won a London SFC medal with the St Vincent's club in 1961. He brought his club career to an end after winning the Longford JFC title in 1982.{{cite news|url=https://www.longfordleader.ie/news/home/1386326/longford-gaa-mourns-death-of-one-of-the-countys-greatest-ever-footballers.html|title=Longford GAA mourns death of one of the county's greatest ever footballers|publisher=Longford Live|date=3 January 2024|access-date=4 January 2024}}

Donnelly first appeared on the inter-county scene with Longford as a member of the junior team in 1959. That year he also made his senior team debut in a tournament game. Donnelly was an ever-present member of the team during Longford's most successful era.{{cite news|url=https://www.longfordleader.ie/news/home/205790/The-Glory-Years---relive.html|title=The Glory Years — relive Longford's GAA triumphs of 1966 & '68 in souvenir supplement|publisher=Longford Live|date=13 April 2006|access-date=4 January 2024}} After winning an O'Byrne Cup title in 1965, he was part of the team that defeated Galway and New York to win the National League Division 1 title in 1966.{{cite news|url=https://www.hoganstand.com/article/index/109930|title=When New York were feared|publisher=Hogan Stand|date=10 April 2009|access-date=4 January 2024}} Two years later, Donnelly added a Leinster SFC medal to his collection after Longford claimed their first ever title.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/five-other-famous-longford-wins/26014849.html|title=Five other famous Longford wins|publisher=Irish Independent|date=3 February 2004|access-date=4 January 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://leinster.clubandcounty.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2017/03/P158-187-%E2%80%93-Se%E2%80%A6FBall-Finalis.pdf|title=Leinster Senior Football Finalists|publisher=Leinster GAA website|date=|access-date=4 January 2024}} He captained the team to the National League Division 2 title in 1972. Donnelly retired from the inter-county game in 1973.

Administrative career

At the height of playing career, Donnelly became involved in the administrative affairs of the GAA. He served as secretary of the Longford County Board from 1968 to 1977. During his tenure he was heavily involved in organisation of Longford's inaugural Scór. Donnelly also served as manager of the Longford senior team for the 1975 season.{{cite news|url=https://hoganstand.com/article/index/330276#google_vignette|title=Longford legend Sean Donnelly passes away|publisher=Hogan Stand|date=4 January 2024|access-date=4 January 2024}}

Personal life and death

Born in 1940, Donnelly received his primary education at Drumlish NS and Melview, before he attended St Mel's College. He completed a degree in Arts and Commerce at University College Galway. He later spent 35 years on the teaching staff of St Mel's College. Donnelly was named in the left corner-forward position on the Longford Team of the Millennium.{{cite news|url=https://longfordgaelicstats.ie/team-of-millennium/|title=Team of the Millennium|publisher=Longford Gaelic Stats website|date=|access-date=4 January 2023}}

Donnelly died on 2 January 2024, at the age of 83.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/longford-mourns-passing-of-sean-donnelly/a182218434.html|title=Longford mourns passing of Seán Donnelly|publisher=Irish Independent|date=4 January 2024|access-date=4 January 2023}}