Ballyshannon man Charlie O'Donnell very busy in GAA circles in Birmingham

"It's been a heck of a weekend," said Charlie O'Donnell, after seeing his side, Warwickshire, clinch the British Junior Championship, defeating London in a replay at Ruislip on Saturday by 2-13 to 0-8.
For O'Donnell, a former Donegal championship winner with Aodh Ruadh and a former Donegal minor and U-21 player, hectic weekends are the norm as he in charge of four teams in the Birmingham area.
Apart from being manager of the Warwickshire Junior team (made up from GAA clubs in the Birmingham area), he is also manager of St Finbarr's senior team, the St Finbarr's Girls U-16 team and coach to the St Finnbarr's ladies senior team.
Indeed, he was back with his St Finbarr's managerial bib on Sunday, the day after the British Junior success.
And to top off the weekend, his stepson Jonathan McHale proposed to girlfriend Una Brennan on Tullan Strand in Bundoran on Sunday.
So there was a lot going on for the O'Donnell family. Charlie had spells at management in Ballyshannon and Bundoran before emigrating. Many will remember him due to his work with the famous O'Donnell's Bakery in Ballyshannon and he now holds down the position of Director of Procurement at Aston Martin in Birmingham.
O'Donnell was really happy with the outcome in their final replay on Saturday, having been really lucky to get a draw the previous weekend, 1-10 to 0-13.
"We got out of jail the first day. We had tossed for the venue and we won the toss so we had the game in Pairc na hEireann in Birmingham.
"We had beaten London by nine points in London in the round robin stages and irrespective of what we told our boys, they didn't perform and London played extremely well. We got a point in the last minute to save the game.
"The boys realised after that, they genuinely were hurting. Saturday went very well. We focused on an extremely fast start and we hit the ground running. The game plan worked to perfection; all the subs worked to perfection. It was like '92 (and Donegal) when everyone played well. It was brilliant and it has been a very enjoyable campaign," said O'Donnell.
"We played six matches. Our first was against Scotland, the reigning champions, and we beat them 2-9 to 0-8. After all the training we did, that was huge. That gave us huge momentum. Then we went down to Ruislip and beat London 1-13 to 0-9, playing well.
"Then we played Lancashire. In the first half we were down by three points, not playing well at all. We turned it around and ended up winning 2-17 ti 1-9.
"That meant we topped the group so we played the winners of the other group Gloucestershire and we beat them 6-19 to 0-7. That was a big win.
"That took us to the final against London in our home ground. We didn't perform, but the message I gave to the players in four or five different instances. We were four or five points down and we didn't give up; we missed an open goal chance at the start of the second half and we didn't give up; then we missed a penalty and we didn't give up. And then put on a sub and what did he do after 30 seconds, he got black carded, but we didn't give up. And we came back and got the draw.
"We got the chance to show everyone what we could do (in the replay). This is a serious bunch of players. Out of the starting 15 on Saturday, we had 10 home grown lads, which is mightily impressive. Out of those lads, there are four 19 year-olds and two 21-year-olds. When fellas come over from they don't know what to expect standard wise, and they are always pleasantly surprised," said O'Donnell.

Charlie O'Donnell pictured with Kilcar's Seanie Boyle, who was part of the Warwickshire team Picture: Brendan Vaughan

"Now we have Seanie Boyle who came over. Seanie just came over at the right time for us, typical Kilcar player, small in stature, brave, clever, composed on the ball and very street wise. We played him left half-forward and it was just perfect timing for us and for him. He has been absolutely superb.
"And he's going home now for the county final next week. He says he will be in the squad."
There is no All-Ireland element to the competition this year for the British champions because of Covid but O'Donnell says there will be a carrot for the winners next year.
"If we get to the All-British final next year, we go back to Croke Park to play against New York and one other team. So that will be an incentive for the team next year. I would love to see some of these home-grown players playing in Croke Park, because I would love for people to see how good they are."
O'Donnell says he has got great support from the backroom team and from the clubs. Among his backroom team are Fergal Doyle, who won an All-Ireland minor medal with Down and Gerry Bradley, who is a Kildare man.
He says there are great developments going on at their headquarters at Pairc na hEireann with the provision of a new 4G pitch and a new pitch and dressingrooms, hopefully commencing in the next couple of months.
"It is very central for all of Britain so you generally get your hurling and football finals played there."
The former Aodh Ruadh stalwart says he has been inundated with messages of congratulations from home since the win on Saturday and wanted to thank them all. He particularly mentioned one of his former coaches PJ Buggy, who, he said, had instilled in him the standards which he bases his coaching on.
"I would have had some great coaches from the age of seven or eight including PJ, Josie Boyle, Mickey McLoone and Willie Rodgers but PJ was the one. He set the standards of good manners, commitment, etc., and now some 41 years later, they remain the same for me," said O'Donnell.
That commitment and standards are shown by the fact that O'Donnell managed his club side St Finbarr's to a one point win on Sunday while daughter Casey was committed to her club, Roger Casements, playing in a seven-a-side on the same day.
"When we arrived over here Roger Casements was the nearest club and Casey joined them and she has remained loyal to them.
"Sometimes our clubs meet at ladies level and we are on the line in opposition," says O'Donnell.
A leader on and off the field when he was an Aodh Ruadh stalwart, Charlie O'Donnell is enjoying his new role as a leader of the GAA in the British Midlands.

Seanie Boyle pictured with Kilcar men Maurice Carr and Sean McHugh Picture: Brendan Vaughan