Donegal and Galway bound by close family ties

Donegal GAA treasurer Grace Boyle could be getting it in the ear from both counties this week as the demand for All-Ireland SFC semi-final tickets ramps up.

There are some strong family ties between the Galway squad and Donegal and Ms Boyle doesn't have to go far to find them.

Cillian McDaid, the Galway forward, is the son of her first cousin, Garvan McDaid, a Ramelton native domiciled in Galway.

The late Eamon McDaid, Cillian's grandfather, played with distinction for Swilly Rovers. Garvan's brothers Fergus and Kieran both played in the League of Ireland with Fergus featuring for Cobh Ramblers alongside Roy Keane before his move to Nottingham Forest.

Eamon McDaid was a player of real note for Swilly Rovers

Eamon and Sheila McDaid left Ramelton and reared their family of 14 at Church St, Askeaton in County Limerick.

Sheila, who is still alive and aged 98, hails from Glenvar and was a school teacher in Ballysteen and Askeaton while Eamon worked with Nash's of Newcastle West and then Southern Chemicals.

“There are 11 boys of the McDaids – a full soccer team,” Ms Boyle says. “They actually played the Blakes from Letterkenny in a match one time.

“Ordinarily, they would all be shouting for Donegal this week and we would be the same, shouting for Galway if they weren't playing Donegal.”

Bridgeen McDaid, Cillian's aunt who formerly worked as a nurse in the maternity ward at Letterkenny hospital, regularly visits Donegal and has a holiday home in the Rathmullan area.

Cillian's sister Órla was the Galway Rose for the 2019 Rose of Tralee.

McDaid scored three points in Galway's thrilling 0-17 to 0-15 extra-time win over reigning champions Dublin in a quarter-final.

Cillian McDaid in action for Galway against Donegal in 2023

These are not the only links between the Galway squad and Ramelton.

The Kelly brothers – Sean, Eoghan and Paul – are on Pádraic Joyce's squad.

hey are nephews of Philomena Friel, the former Principal at Scoil Mhuire, Ramelton.

Philomena is the sister of former Galway great Padraig 'Dandy' Kelly, who passed away at 40 in 2001, having won five Connacht SFC medals during his inter-county career, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986 and 1987.

Sean Kelly picked up an injury in the first half of the win over Dublin while Eoghan and Paul did not feature.

The Kelly brothers played alongside their cousin Seamus Friel from Ramelton, who was in goals for Moycullen as they defeated Mountbellew Moylough by 2-12 to 1-11 in Pearse Stadium, Salthill, to lift their first ever Galway SFC crown in 2020.

Galway players Sean and Eoghan Kelly with members of the Friel family from Ramelton after an Allianz League draw with Donegal in Letterkenny in 2023

Ramelton native Friel is a teacher at Clarin College, Athenry, and was part of the St Eunan’s College team who won the MacLarnon Cup in 2000, playing right half-forward alongside the likes of Colm McFadden, Rory Kavanagh and Neil Gallagher.

He played underage football for Moycullen, where he spent his summers, and played football locally for Swilly Rovers, alongside his brother Damien, who won an FAI Schools Dr Tony O’Neill Senior Cup in 2004.