Archive footage showing some of Donal Donnelly's most notable GAA triumphs vividly illustrated the career enjoyed by one of the most respected figures in Gaelic Games locally. Family members and some 250 guests marvelled at Kelly's Inn last Friday at the playing and management achievements of the Omagh native relayed onto the big screen. A star with club and county, he is the latest worthy inductee into the Ulster Herald Hall of Fame accolade which honours the brilliance of our greatest sportsmen and women who have blazed a trail and carried their talent with distinction at all levels.
That can certainly be said about a man who burst onto the GAA scene as a member of the Tyrone Minor team which won the All-Ireland in 1948. Following this came a call-up to the senior team and a crucial role of the breakthrough Ulster Senior successes in 1956 and 1957. It is hard now to envisage just how significant that win over Cavan in 1956 really was for the Red Hands. From then on there was a new belief that the ultimate achievement of a Sam Maguire Cup triumph was within reach of players from the county.
"At that time Cavan were the top team in Ulster and nobody believed that they could be beaten until Tyrone came in 1956," said the now retired Omagh-based principal.
"We were always in awe of them and the other top counties and that 1956 win showed us that the players here were every bit as good as anywhere else.
"It was a very wet day when Tyrone won that first Ulster title in Clones in 1956. I remember the celebrations afterwards and sheer delight for players and supporters.
Those around during those halycon days can only wonder what might have been if Donal Donnelly had not broken his arm in the All-Ireland semi-final against the eventual champions, Louth. His wife, Bridget has no doubt that the Sam Maguire would have been won if her new husband of just four weeks had been able to play on. She jokingly recalled how their early weeks of marriage saw Donal 'strapped to be bed' as a result of the injury.
It wasn't until the early 1970s before those heights were reached again, by which time Donal Donnelly had entered management. He guided the county minors to All-Ireland finals in 1972 and 1973 - winning the later - and among the players who came under his influence was the current county manager, Mickey Harte.
He paid tribute to the role played by his early inter-county mentor for making them believe in their ability to compete and win All-Irelands. Those lessons were put into practise in emphatic fashion during the past decade and Harte had no doubts about how Donal Donnelly and others had contributed to that never-to-be-forgotten Sam Maguire success.
It was an aim which, of course, driven managers such as Art McRory and Donal Donnelly for many years. The Omagh man was manager of the team which won the Ulster title in 1989, when hopes were high that they could reach the All Ireland final again.
As well as representing Tyrone with distinction, he also won six county senior medals with the St Enda's and served as an administrator at both West Tyrone and County Board level. But he had no doubt about who the best player he had ever competed with or against was and some timely advice for the current crop of Tyrone players hoping to make their mark.
"Jim McKeever of Derry was the most complete footballer that I ever saw and played against. His fielding, vision and skill were just perfect," he added
"I wouldn't be all that sure about some of the changes which have been introduced to the modern game. But that's a debate for another day.
"During my career I played in every position except goals. The only advice that I would give the Tyrone players now for the coming season would be do always score more than the opposition."
There were emotional scenes as this legend of gaelic games made his way from the stage to a standing ovation which was testament to a playing and management career unrivalled in GAA circles within the county.

Ulster Herald, 19th December 2013 Tweet

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