Donal Donnelly, second from right, pictured with his brother Sean, Donal McSorley and Thady Turbett after the 1954 Tyrone final.
It is with deep regret that we announce the death of former St. Enda’s legend Donal Donnelly.
Donal, who passed away on Saturday morning, was one of the leading Gaelic footballers in Ireland during the 40’s and 50’s, starring with St. Enda’s and Tyrone teams for many years. Donal played on the first St. Enda’s senior team to win a Tyrone championship in 1948 and went on to star in the first ever three-in-a-row team in 1952, 1953 and 1954, playing alongside other great St. Enda’s stars like Thady Turbett, Jackie Taggart and Paddy Corey, amongst others.
Aged 82, he also acted as St. Enda’s chairman in 1956 and 1960 and held various administrative roles on the West Tyrone Board. A noted Tyrone senior and minor star, in 1956 and 1957 he played a crucial role in the county’s breakthough in winning the Ulster senior championship title for the first time. He later went on to manage the Minors to All-Ireland glory, guiding the seniors to more provincial success and helping to pave the way for the Sam Maguire titles of the past decade.
In 2012 he was inducted into the Ulster Herald Hall of Fame.Tribute was also paid to Donnelly in the recently released St. Enda’s DVD, ‘The St. Enda’s Story’.
The committee and members of St. Enda’s GAC extend their deepest sympathy to the Donnelly family on this sad occasion. Funeral will take place tomorrow (Monday) at 12 noon in the church of Christ The King at Strathroy. Club members will form a guard of honour after Requiem Mass and are asked to wear club colours.
Click here for link to Ulster Herald website for videos tributes of Donal at the 2012 Sports Awards.
