GAA community left reeling by sudden death of former player Don Connellan

The Roscommon GAA community has been left reeling by the death of former county and Kilmore player, Don Connellan.

Mr Connellan, aged 51, who died suddenly on Monday afternoon, enjoyed success both as a player and manager.

In 1993, alongside Brian Morkan, Tom Ryan, Lorcan Dowd and Leo Shiel, he made his senior football championship debut for Roscommon during the 1-12 to 1-10 victory against Leitrim in the Connacht semi-final in Carrick-on-Shannon.

Don Connellan in action against Mayo during the 2001 National Football League Division One semi-final at Markievicz Park. Picture: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

He would go on to become one of Roscommon's most skilful and graceful players of the nineties, culminating in a provincial final triumph against Mayo, under manager John Tobin, in 2001, where he was joined by team-mate, Conor Connelly, who passed away in March 2020.

At club level, he was a mainstay on Kilmore teams of the nineties and start of the new Millennium, playing in the county senior football finals of 1998 and 2001. He missed the ’99 final through injury.

He won a Sigerson Cup medal with UCG in 1992 and was joint manager with Maurice Sheridan when University of Galway hit the jackpot once more in 2021.

He would go on to create history with Moycullen in Galway where he raised a young family, leading the club to its first Galway senior football crown in 2020. A second title followed in 2022 along with a provincial crown.

Don was a hugely passionate Roscommon and Kilmore man who constantly followed the fortunes of both his native club and county.

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