McShea’s Say: Donegal is mourning the loss of two very special people this week

It was with great regret that I learned of the deaths of two very exceptional Donegal men over the last few days. 

Michael McGinley, the Dublin based Dunfanaghy native, was laid to rest in Dublin last Friday while the heartbreaking circumstances surrounding Stephen McCahill’s passing in Ardara have not just rocked that community but reverberated much further afield.  

Michael, who was affectionately known as Mick, was a very successful businessman in commercial life as the managing director of Sigma Communications. 

Predeceased by his wife Julia, also a proud Donegal lady, Mick was the very proud father of Paul, Mary, Karen, Michael and Suzanne. 

Mick loved all sports and was a very talented golfer, playing to category one throughout his life. 

Mick had the distinction of playing with the first ever Donegal team to win the Ulster Minor football championship in 1956 and he also played Ulster championship football with Donegal. 

He would have enjoyed a much greater spell in the green and gold jersey if his football career had not seen him move overseas when at the peak of his career.

On the pitch, he was noted for his tireless energy and fierce will. He possessed a great combative spirit and a level of skill with a football which was ahead of his time, while his ability to unlock a defence with one pass was his greatest ability. 

Mick was a much more determined and adroit player than his avuncular, soft spoken image off the pitch might suggest. 

Mick McGinley was a lifelong Donegal supporter and he will be remembered as an exceptional friend to Donegal GAA.

While based in Dublin, he once drove his son Paul to Ballybofey for a county minor trial, only to discover that the game had been called off when they reached MacCumhaill Park. 

Both Paul and Michael, the two boys, have inherited their dad’s love of Donegal football and Paul played a very positive part in a motivational role with the Donegal team when the All-Ireland final was won in 2012.

Michael is also ever-present at Donegal games when championship time comes around.  

When son Paul successfully captained the Ryder Cup team in their wonderful success against America,  Mick was a very proud father. 

But he never let his commercial success or family’s sporting excellence remotely impact on his very likeable and modest personality. To his family, I  offer my sincere sympathy. 

Stephen McCahill

Donegal woke to the devastating news of the untimely death of the very popular Ardara native on Monday morning. The circumstances, as they come to light, are just so sad. 

A successful businessman, Stephen loved Donegal and he simply adored Ardara. He was involved in every positive initiative in the community and, indeed, much further afield. 

I know many felt Stephen had the potential to be a very good Donegal GAA chairperson and his name was often mentioned whenever Donegal had fallen on hard times or someone was needed to lift matters in that boardroom. 

But he was more than happy to graft at the coal face back in Pearse Memorial Park, Ardara. Ardara, with the likes of Stephen driving it on, have been one of, if not, the best run clubs in the county for so many years. 

I know for a fact both Anthony Molloy in 1992 and, Jim McGuinness later on in 2012, personally requested Stephen look after Sam Maguire and the logistics of parading that cup around the county, around the country and even to the likes of the United States.

Stephen was never prepared to participate in what he saw as mediocrity. No matter how busy he was, the word ‘no’ was never part of his vocabulary. His motto was "that only the best will do". 

Stephen’s death will be a huge loss to our county, a dark cloud has descended on south west Donegal this week. 

To his wife Marietta, daughter Gemma, son Steven, wider family and, indeed, the entire south west community of Donegal that he served so greatly, I extend my sincere sympathies on their very sad loss.