Donegal school teacher Seosamh MacCeallabhuí led Donegal GAA side Red Hughs in October to their first Ulster Junior Championship after an incredible season.
Following Red Hughs success over Junior football in the county, MacCeallabhuí guided his side to Ulster JFC success over Derry outfit Limavady Wolfhounds.
Now as Gaoth Dobhair aims for All-Ireland Senior success in the new year, Red Hughs will start their Junior All-Ireland semi-final task in January against Sligo-based side Easkey.
MacCeallabhuí is also a keen fan of music.
My Donegal… with Seosamh MacCeallabhuí
(1) Where is your favourite place in Donegal and why?
Got to be Baile na Finne with Portnoo a close second
(2 ) How do you like to spend Christmas in the county?
Susie Maitis Jeaic Maighread and Grandad (in charge of the remote after an enormous dinner)
(3) Who is the one person in Donegal that you look up to and why?
As time moves on it has to be your parents, my father at this stage. Having family myself, now you understand they always have your back.
(4) What do you think is Donegal’s best tourist attraction?
Top of Achla on a fine day is a beautiful place as is Sliabh League. But there are so many under-resourced places like Ramelton.
(5) Do you prefer Donegal summers or Donegal winters?
Good summer’s day anywhere in Donegal is hard to beat. Our snow is too wet and you can’t ski!
(6) What would you do on your ideal day out in Donegal?
A good football game followed by analysis in the Brewery.
(7) What is your favourite Donegal-made product?
Susie’s homemade Christmas decorations, so many of them. Yard sale on the January 6!
(8) Who is Donegal’s greatest ambassador around the world and why?
That has to be Joe Mc Hugh. What he has done for the Irish language alone. He now proudly speaks it as well as anyone. Also, Jim Mc Guinness and Paddy McDevitt, Donegal Boston GAA, Fintown’s greatest export.
(9) Who is Donegal’s most successful businessperson in your opinion?
As a teacher, you don’t get to hear about all the great business people around but I do feel Mark Doherty in Century Cinemas and Backstage is always expanding and trying new things.
(10) Who is your favourite Donegal sportsperson of all time?
That has got to be Micheal Murphy not just for his talent but the way he conducts himself on and off the field. Always has time for everyone. A true gentleman and a fine example to all the youth in the country.
(11) What is your favourite Donegal restaurant?
Susie’s Kitchen or The Backstage if she’s feeling tired. Macs Mace for all things GAA and the Honeypot for Pancakes and Bacon.
(12) If you could change one thing about Donegal what would it be?
Good snow in the winter, so we might Ski down Achla and Erigal
(13) What is your favourite Donegal saying or expression?
I travel a bit from time to time and the use of the word “wild” is a real source of amusement.
(14) What is the biggest challenge facing the people of Donegal today?
A decent health service. We live on the edge of Europe and we are punished for it.
(15) What is your favourite Donegal food?
My aunt Brid Wright used to scramble an egg in a cup with some other magic that remains a vivid memory for me to this day.
(16) Is there anything that really annoys you about Donegal or its people?
Complaining about traffic. I travel to Dublin now and again. Now that’s traffic. Hell on earth.
(17) Do you have a favourite local band?
Now you’ve asked the right question! Having help promote Irish music in Donegal for years we were very privileged to bring the likes of Le Galaxie, Not Squares, The Wonder Villians, Persued by Dogs and Le Boom to Donegal. We were also well represented locally with the likes of Mojo Gogo who threatened to make it big for a while.
At this point, I am watching the likes of Waldorf and Cannon, Slow place like home, Slow Skies and of course In Their Thousands, Donegal’s best band for years.
Disturbance has been another very positive development in Donegal bringing some great live music to the area. It would be great to see the likes of Persued by Dogs and Le Boom play one of their events.
(18) If you had a million euro to improve something in Donegal what would it be?
A million euro won’t fix the health service apparently, but I’m sure it would be well spent organising A Glastonbury type event on the shores of Lough Finn with headliners The Foals, Wombats and We are Scientists. Martin Mc Kelvey to curate.
(19) Manus Boyle or Michael Murphy?
Answered above, nothing against Manus another great ambassador for the game.
(20) Is there anything about Donegal that you are very proud of?
Our remoteness lonely and proud “Na Bach linn”
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