In Pictures: Donegal and Dublin's connections through the years

John and Paddy Small: The Small brothers from Ballymun are the latest Dublin players to emerge as having a Donegal connection. 

The experienced centre half-back and the powerful corner-forward are the grandsons of Ballyshannon woman Mary Cassidy, who grew up and lived the early part of her life on the banks of the Erne. 

Cassidy, now Small, was born and reared on Chapel Street in Ballyshannon where her father, James Cassidy, was a well-known businessman in the town. 

He owned the Central Hotel in Bundoran, a Butcher’s Shop, a beer bottling company, and a pub in Ballyshannon called the Green Lady, across the road from the Bus Eireann bus stop. 

She moved to Dublin as a young woman, got married, and settled down.