A native of Dungloe, he was the foremost player in County Donegal, and a household name throughout the country, in the mid-1930s.

[1][2][3] O'Donnell had become one of Ulster's most popular footballers by the time he made his last appearance for the province in the Railway Cup of 1937.

[4] O'Donnell was captain of An Clochán Liath's senior football team and his playing career coincided with what was, by far, the club's most successful period.

During that time, he captained the first Donegal team to play in Croke Park where they lost the 1933 "Home final" of the All-Ireland Junior Football Championship to Mayo.

[6] He won twice, in 1930 and again in 1931, playing with University College Dublin (and scoring half of the UCD tally of 2-4 in the 1931 final.