Nicholas "Skinny" O'Donnell (4 September 1925 – 11 June 1988) was an Irish hurler who played as a full-back for the Kilkenny and Wexford senior teams.

Born in Graiguenamanagh, County Kilkenny, O'Donnell first played competitive hurling whilst at school in St Kieran's College.

At club level he won seven championship medals with St Aidan's, having earlier played for Éire Óg.

Tullaroan provided the opposition, however, a 3–10 to 0–13 victory gave O'Donnell a Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship medal.

Four-in-a-row proved beyond St. Aidan's, however, the club bounced back in 1956 with O'Donnell winning a fourth championship medal in Wexford.

Unable to dislodge Pat "the Diamond" Hayden from the full-back position on the team, he won a set of Leinster and All-Ireland medals as a non-playing substitute.

Tipperary provided the opposition as they aimed to secure a hat-trick of championship titles for the first time in over half a century.

A record attendance of 84,856 packed into Croke Park, and Wexford had the reigning champions and three-in-a-row hopefuls rattled.

O'Donnell's side had a 1–3 to 0–5 lead at the interval, however, he was forced to leave the field with an injured collarbone after a clash with Ring.

Wexford still had a four-point lead at the three-quarter stage, however, Johnny Clifford scored a vital goal to secure a 1–9 to 1–6 victory for Cork.

A Tim Flood goal nine minutes from the end clinched a 3–13 to 2–8 victory for Wexford and a first All-Ireland medal for O'Donnell, while he also had the honour of lifting the Liam MacCarthy Cup.

The game turned on one important incident as the Wexford goalkeeper, Art Foley, made a miraculous save from a Ring shot and cleared the sliotar up the field to set up another attack.

[5] In spite of Cork's loss Wexford's O'Donnell]] and Rackard, in an unparalleled display of sportsmanship in any game, raised Christy Ring onto their shoulders and carried him off the field.

Wexford had won the game and O'Donnell had collected his second All-Ireland medal but there was no doubt in their minds that the real hero was Ring.

A pitch invasion at the end resulted in much confusion, however, goals by Mick Hassett and Oliver McGrath gave Wexford a merited 2–15 to 0–11 victory.

His reputation as the undisputed greatest full-back of all time was further cemented in 2000 when he was named in the same position on the Hurling Team of the Millennium.