Oldcastle GAA pay tribute to the late Alo Donoghue

October 10, 2025

Former Oldcastle manager Alo Donoghue

Sad to report the passing of Alo Donoghue. Oldcastle GAA took to social media to honour their former manager.

Since the news broke of the passing of Alo Donoghue, a wave of sadness and loss has washed over Oldcastle. Everyone at Oldcastle Gfc and the wider community extend our deepest sympathies to Alo's family and friends. It is no exaggeration to say he was a hero in this town, a man who was a natural leader, and who inspired other men, young and old, to listen to every word he said, to follow his advice, and to strive, as a team, to be more than the sum of their parts.

Alo and his wife Mary lived in Oldcastle for a while when their family was young, with both teaching in the Secondary School, before moving to Dublin. Alo had been part of the great Virginia Blues teams that won Senior Championships, along with his brother Hugh Barney (RIP), and was a serious footballer in his own right (he also lived in Kerry for a while, and marked Mick O'Dwyer out of it!)

But it was as a Manager that Alo became famous in Oldcastle, when he took over the Senior team in 1987. Most of the lads were only youngsters, most of them fellas who had just won the Division 1 U21 Championship, and who could only dare to dream of Intermediate glory, particularly as most of the Senior team had just retired. Alo however, turned those dreams into reality.

“We were only young lads” remembers Ollie Burns, “but Alo made us believe in ourselves. He made us realise this football thing is serious – this man is coming down from Dublin to train us! I know that we wouldn’t have won anything without Alo – a lot of us lads have bonded together for life because of him, and the positive impact he had on all of us”

Back in lockdown, when this page asked people to send us in their football memories and anecdotes and ran Player Profiles, one name came up time and time again as the person who had inspired our players the most, and that was Alo. Many of them fondly remembered how he would give them long personalised notes on their performances after training in the run up to big matches, and many of them still have those notes, preserved and even framed for posterity. He would also write notes on the blackboard in the Pavilion, instructions, directions, encouragement and motivation – he would tell the lads, “If you want something done, do it yourself!”

“Not that many men have that much of an influence on you outside your own family” muses Ollie, and it’s obvious from talking to him how much his life has been touched by knowing Alo.

“He was out on his own.”

To John Galligan, Alo really was the outstanding man in forging the path of Oldcastle to victory in 1987. He recalls so many memories, and a lifetime family friendship made, and will sadly miss his old friends Alo and Mary.

Vinnie Reynolds fondly remembers long training sessions, and reckons the worse the weather, the more Alo enjoyed the session, including one memorable night in the Park in four inches of snow! Alo drove down from Dublin for every session, usually with a carload of lads who were going to college above, and it could be midnight when they got back, with the long meetings that often followed the training! Indeed, Vinnie got done one night in Dublin for cycling home afterwards on his bike with no lights, and was pulled by the guards! He considers his memories of 1987, the long year of training and the ultimate Intermediate Championship success, among his most treasured memories.

Brendan Halpin also remembers the training in bad weather, the worst weather imaginable! Lads wouldn't go out the door now into the weather we used to, he reckons, but that's what toughened them up. Alo enjoyed his time in Oldcastle, and gave so much to the town and club, and has left an indelible mark on all who knew him, he says.

Unfortunately the scourge of emigration hit the Oldcastle team the following year, many players having to leave the country for work, scuppering hopes of onwards and upwards, but having the effect of making that 1987 win even more special.

I could have spent a whole week talking to so many people whose lives were changed for the better and given a touch of magic because of Alo. There have been and will be hundreds of hours spent talking about him in the coming days, reliving treasured memories, reminiscing on times past and that most elusive of things, glory days, of brilliant football and the Cup coming over the mountain, and one man held aloft, the Inspiring and Amazing Alo Donoghue.

Alo will come over the mountain and return to Oldcastle for a final time this Saturday, an honourary son of Oldcastle, with his burial mass in St. Brigid’s Church at 1pm, before being laid to rest beside his beloved Mary.

Anyone with memories of Alo and that special time in Oldcastle, please feel free to add them in the comments.

All of Alo’s football friends are invited to join a Guard of Honour, meeting at 12.20pm at the service station on the Kells Road.

“Go raibh suaimhneas síoraí air agus agus bainistigh sinn ó thuas!"

Funeral Details

Reposing at Staffords Funeral Home, Golf Links Road, Portmarnock on Friday 10th October from 4pm to 6pm. Removal on Friday evening to St Anthony’s Church, Clontarf for 6:30pm. Funeral Mass on Saturday morning 11th October at 10 am followed by burial in St Brigid’s, Oldcastle, Co Meath at approx 1pm.

 


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