He was educated through the Irish language at Coláiste Feirste, Belfast, and subsequently obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Ulster University.

[11] In October 2024, he revealed that he was the Sinn Féin member who was suspended for sending inappropriate messages to two teenage males, aged 16 and 18, in September 2023.

In a statement published by The Irish News, he said: "This would also give me the space to focus on improving my health and wellbeing, issues that I have been dealing with my doctor on since mid-2021.

"[15] On the same day, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald told the Dáil that Ó Donnghaile resigned, following allegations of the sending of inappropriate messages to a 17-year-old male.

[16][17] In a letter published by the Sunday Independent on 20 October, the teenager said he was 16-years-old at the time,[18] and called for McDonald's apology for the party's "disastrous handling" of his case, saying her tribute to Ó Donnghaile when he resigned was "like a mental stab".