Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Irish name | Niall Ó Donnchú | ||
Sport | Hurling | ||
Position | Left half back (No7) | ||
Born |
Kilbeacanty, County Galway, Ireland | 25 October 1990||
Died | 23 October 2013 | (aged 22)||
Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
Club(s) | |||
Years | Club | ||
2007–2013 | Kilbeacanty | ||
Club titles | |||
Galway titles | 0 | ||
Inter-county(ies) | |||
Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
2012–2013 | Galway | 7 (0-1) | |
Inter-county titles | |||
Leinster titles | 1 | ||
All-Irelands | 1 (U21) | ||
NHL | 0 | ||
All Stars | 0 |
Niall Donohue (also spelled Donoghue) (25 October 1990 − 23 October 2013)[1] was an Irish hurler who played at senior level for the Galway senior team.[2]
Born in Kilbeacanty, County Galway, Donohue first played competitive hurling while at school in Gort Community School. He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of seventeen when he first linked up with the Galway minor team, before later joining the under-21 side. He made his senior debut in the 2012 National Hurling League. Donohue played a key part for Galway over the following two seasons, and won one Leinster medal. He was an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion. He was also nominated for an All Star this year.[when?] Throughout his career Donohue made eight championship appearances.[citation needed]
As a member of the Connacht inter-provincial team for two successive years, Donohue unsuccessfully contested two Railway Cup finals. At club level he played with Kilbeacanty.[citation needed]
Donohue was found dead in his home on 23 October 2013, two days before his 23rd birthday.[1] His death brought the topic of suicide into public consciousness.[3] His funeral was attended by a large number of mourners from the GAA community across the country, including his Galway teammates. A number of other figures in the GAA, such as the Kilkenny manager Brian Cody and the association president Liam O'Neill, called to the Donohue family home to pay their respects.[4]
In 2017 following Galway's win at the All-Ireland Hurling final, winning captain David Burke paid tribute to Donohue in his winner's speech stating: "One other person I can't let today pass without mentioning: He was soldiering with us for years, a good friend of mine and first cousin of Conor Whelan, he passed away in 2013. Niall Donohue, we'll never forget him and we'll remember him today."[5]