Plunkett Donaghy is a former Tyrone

Tyrone GAA

The Tyrone County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Tyrone GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Tyrone. The county board is also responsible for the Tyrone inter-county teams....

 Gaelic football

Gaelic football

Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...

er. He won three Ulster Senior Football Championship

Ulster Senior Football Championship

For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...

 medals (in 1984, 1986 and 1989) and an All Star

GAA All Stars Awards

The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...

 in 1986. He lives in The Moy

Moy, County Tyrone

Moy or The Moy is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. The 2001 Census recorded a population of 1,218.It is about southeast of Dungannon and is beside the smaller village of Charlemont. Charlemont is on the east bank of the River Blackwater and Moy on the west; the two are...

, Co. Tyrone.

Background

Donaghy is one of nine children to Pat and Maisie Donaghy. Donaghy's father Pat played for Moy and Tyrone and was on the county panel when Tyrone won their first-ever Ulster Senior Football Championship

Ulster Senior Football Championship

For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...

s in 1956 and 1957. His mother Maisie, originally from Brackaville

Brackaville

Brackaville or Bracaville is a village and townland near Coalisland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is in the parish of Donaghenry on the western side of Lough Neagh....

, was a widely acclaimed Irish folk singer

Folk music of Ireland

The folk music of Ireland is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres in Ireland.-History:...

 (under the stage name Eileen Donaghy

Eileen Donaghy

Eileen Donaghy was an Irish traditional singer. Donaghy was well known for her recordings of ballads such as The Oul Lammas Fair and My Lagan Love and was known as the "First Lady of the Moy"....

) whose success brought her on tour around the world.

Donaghy is married with six children. His father-in-law is legendary football manager Dessie Ryan, a former footballer for Tyrone and New York who coached Queen's University Belfast to two victories in the Sigerson Cup

Sigerson Cup

The Sigerson Cup is the top division of Higher Education Gaelic football in Ireland, It is administrated by the Higher Education committee which is part of the Gaelic Athletic Association...

 and is considered one of the most influential men in GAA history.

Plunkett's brother Colm also played for Tyrone. He is a second cousin to two-time All Star winning former Derry

Derry GAA

The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...

 footballer Joe Brolly

Joe Brolly

Joe Brolly is an Irish barrister, TV pundit, and ex Gaelic footballer who played for Derry in the 1990s and early 2000s. He was part of Derry's first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winning side in 1993 and also won two Ulster Senior Football Championships and four National League...

. His mother Maisie was a first cousin of Brolly's mother Ann, Maisie's mother Bridget and Brolly's grandfather Joe, being sister and brother. He is also cousin to Monaghan Defender/Forward Vincent Corey.

Career

Donaghy was part of the Tyrone team that went to their first All Ireland

All Ireland

All-Ireland is an attributive which emphasises the island of Ireland. It contrasts with expressions such as the South or Northern Ireland which apply only to regions. Many sports are organised on an all-Ireland basis....

 Final in 1986, against Kerry

Kerry GAA

The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...

, and won an All Star Award

GAA All Stars Awards

The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...

 for his contributions. He captained Tyrone to a further Ulster Championship

Ulster Senior Football Championship

For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...

 success in 1989. He also played for Ireland against Australia.

Legacy

His playing abilities, being part of the first (relatively) successful Tyrone team, put him among the greats of Tyrone football

Gaelic football

Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...

. Donaghy was known for his great ability to catch a ball, and he was instantly recognisable on the pitch due to his "shaggy" blond hair. Donaghy stands at 6 ft tall.http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/gaa/extra/mhgbojqlqloj/