Settling in New Zealand, O'Donnell is thought to have served in the police force and worked as a teacher.

[1] Despite living in Invercargill, he represented Otago in 1883, as the Southland Rugby Union was not formed until 1887.

O'Donnell was selected for the first national side to tour Australia but before he even got to Wellington to join the team, he was arrested on a fugitive warrant at Clinton and returned to Invercargill.

Local tradespeople to whom he owed money had taken out the warrant after hearing that O'Donnell was unlikely to return from Australia.

[1] In 1901, O'Donnell contested the seat of Randwick for the Progressive Party in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly,[2][3] but was defeated by the incumbent, David Storey.