Tom Conaghan

Tom Conaghan is an Irish Gaelic football figure who managed Donegal county football teams during the 1980s and, later, the Sligo senior team. His former players regarded him as a disciplinarian in his approach to management.[1][2]

Early life

Conaghan was born into a family of six, and brought up in the centre of Donegal Town, where his family ran a business that consisted of a hackney, a store and undertaking.[3] His father died suddenly at the age of 50, after suffering a heart attack, when Conaghan was a still a boy.[3]

Conaghan attended Hugh Roe Boys' School and the Tech, before taking up employment as a driver, a job which necessitated travel across Ireland.[3] He then became a farmer, working on his mother's family land in Glenfin.[3] Conaghan also ran a sports shop in the centre of Donegal Town.[3]

Career

Conaghan played with Four Masters and Clanna Gael.[3] He suggested that it was the lack of discipline he saw in the Donegal teams of the 1970s that inspired him to pursue the coaching of the county's under-21 team.[3]

Conaghan managed Donegal to the 1982 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship.[4] He later took over from Brian McEniff as senior manager when McEniff had led the 1983 Ulster Senior Football Championship campaign to a win.[citation needed]

Over the course of his time as senior manager during the 1980s, Conaghan fell out with numerous players. He dropped Marty Carlin and Charlie Mulgrew from his team for one year after they played for Letterkenny in a Forster Cup final victory at Ravenhill in 1987.[1] Other players with whom he fell out during his time as senior manager included Declan Bonner, Manus Boyle, Matt Gallagher, Barry McGowan and Sylvester Maguire.[2][5] Conaghan's spell as county manager ended with a heavy defeat to Tyrone.[5] McEniff, returning to the senior job for a fourth time in September 1989, restored many of those with whom Conaghan had fallen out to the panel in time for the 1990 Ulster Senior Football Championship, which Donegal won.[5]

Conaghan later managed the Sligo seniors.[6] He was mentioned as a possible successor to P. J. McGowan as Donegal manager in 1997 in a dual role with Anthony Molloy.[7] He withdrew and Declan Bonner became manager.[2]

In later years, Conaghan became involved in politics and sat as an independent on Donegal County Council.[4] He first stood for election in 2009 but did not win a seat.[8] He won a seat in 2014 and retained it in 2019.[8] In 2012, he was mayor of Donegal Town.[3] He was elected Cathaoirleach of the Donegal Municipal District on 13 June 2017.[9] He did not contest the 2024 election.[10]

Personal life

Conaghan married Celine and they had three children together.[3] His only son, Kevin, died as the result of an accident, at the age of 14.[3] He continues to work as a farmer, work which includes lambs, cattle and crops.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "Regrets, I've had a few — The life and times of Marty Carlin". 1 April 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020. Tom being the disciplinarian that he was, he cut us.
  2. ^ a b c "Declan Bonner: It'll be 'all or nothing' for Donegal's 'half mad' new manager". 22 September 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017. It was a year that saw him feel the sharp disciplinary edge of manager Tom Conaghan… 'Tom was real no-nonsense manager'.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Britton, Matt (1 July 2012). "Tom Conaghan: A farmer, a Mayor and above all, a father". Donegal Democrat. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Anthony Molloy: 'The man from the mist' gets Freedom of Donegal". 7 June 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  5. ^ a b c McNulty, Chris (18 July 2015). "Donegal's 1990 Ulster winners will be honoured tomorrow — here is their story". Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  6. ^ "Gallagher, Matt". Hogan Stand. 17 July 1992. Former team manager of the Donegal team, later Sligo's boss, Tom Conaghan, believed in Gallagher's versatile skills so much so that he employed the 5 feet 10 inch, 13 stone veteran in various positions in attack for the team.
  7. ^ Moran, Sean (9 July 1997). "McGowan calls it a day with Donegal". The Irish Times.
  8. ^ a b "Tom Conaghan". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  9. ^ "Donegal councillor says there's now too much pressure on young people in sport". Ocean FM. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  10. ^ Breslin, Conor (14 February 2024). "Tom Conaghan announces his retirement from Donegal County Council". Donegal Live. Archived from the original on 25 March 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
Sporting positions
Preceded by Donegal Senior Football Manager
1986–1989 		Succeeded by