Patsy McGonagle: Relentless

DONEGAL’S PATSY MCGONAGLE was Irish athletics team manager for 25 years, during which time he led the cream of Irish track and field (including Sonia O’Sullivan, David Gillick, Derval O’Rourke, Rob Heffernan and Mark English) into 4 Olympic Games, 6 World Championships and 6 European Championships. In his time in charge, Ireland came home with 2 Olympic medals, 9 World medals and 27 European medals. A graduate from St Mary’s College for Physical Education in London in 1972, McGonagle never lost sight of his home county – he built Finn Valley Athletics Club into a world class facility, and twice served as a coach and selector with the Donegal senior football team. The Ballybofey native now tells his amazing life story in which he always remained Relentless.