A final bell: Hundreds gather in Raphoe for farewell to ‘Mr Boxing’ Peter O’Donnell

An emotional ten-bell salute rang out at the Raphoe Boxing Club on Wednesday for a final farewell to ‘Mr Boxing’, Peter O’Donnell.

Hundreds turned out to St Eunan’s Church for the funeral of a man who became an icon and a legend of the sport. He had been the President of the County Donegal Boxing Board since 2012 and served as its public relations officer since 1988.

Late of Demesne, Raphoe, Peter, aged 75, passed away peacefully following a short illness in the arms of his family in the early hours of Sunday morning. 

One last time, Peter was brought, through a large guard of honour, to his beloved Raphoe Boxing Club where his coffin was placed, surrounded by family, club members and friends. The club's Head Coach Gary McCullagh and former World title challenger Jason Quigley draped the Raphoe Boxing Club banner, which accompanied Peter all over the world many times, over the coffin.

McCullagh sounded the poignant 10 bells; a final count-out for a man remembered later in the day by his grandson, Caolin, as “an undisputed Hall of Famer”. 

There were moving and heartbreaking scenes as Peter’s remains were carried from the club - a place he had, literally, helped to build with his bare hands - one last time by McCullagh, Quigley, Gerard Keaveney and Cathal McLaughlin. 

Boxing clubs from across Donegal formed a guard of honour as Peter’s remains were brought to St Eunan’s Church, while students from Deele College also formed a guard of honour on a part of the route. Business premises closed and staff stood to attention as the cortege brought Peter for a last journey around The Diamond.

Items symbolising Peter’s life were brought to the altar by his sisters Marjory, Grainne, Sally and Mary: a building trowel as a pointer to all the houses he built and his block work was remembered as ‘legendary’; a pair of boxing gloves for his unwavering commitment to the sport; a photograph depicting that distinctive, bright smile; and his boxing mallet used to call time at bouts in many venues over the years.

McCullagh and Quigley brought forward the Raphoe Boxing Club banner, which was draped over the coffin during the funeral Mass.

Readings were given by Ryan and Zoe O’Donnell, while prayers of the faithful were read by Leah Gallen and Chris McNulty.

Chief concelebrant at the funeral Mass, Canon Denis McGettigan, Pastor Emeritus in Raphoe, remembered Peter as a “beloved man, a cherish man” who had made a “vast contribution, especially in the realm of boxing”.

“His popularity is very evident today and indeed during the week as well, even from distant parts of Ireland,” Canon McGettigan said adding that the native of Derry who came to make Raphoe his home leaves a “wonderful legacy” that is felt beyond the east Donegal village.

St Johnston priest Fr Oliver McCrossan and Fr Kevin Mulhern from the Waterside parish in Derry concelebrated the Mass. 

Nationally, he became the voice of Irish boxing. Peter took the microphone from Jack Greene as the ring announcer for local shows in the 1990s and it was a role he has later filled on big nights at the National Stadium and the Ulster Hall. At the mic, he had the nervous pause at the end of a fight down to a fine art.

The Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) was represented by officials including National Secretary Tara Robins Mari, Vice President Eugene Duffy and Central Council members Anna Moore, John Gallagher and Gary McGillion. Boxing personalities from all over the country, including Donegal native Conal Thomas who is now domiciled in Cork, travelled to Raphoe to pay their respects.

As well as Quigley, a raft of other boxing stars had a ringside seat for a final farewell to a man who watched every career as intensely as the next.

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They included: Former European and British lightweight champion Charlie Nash; Former European and British super-lightweight champion Paul McCloskey; 2024 Olympian Jude Gallagher; 1993 Irish middleweight champion Danny Ryan; Eamonn Coyle, the 1982 Irish super-heavyweight champion; and ‘Ards Assassin’ Anthony Mcfadden who was 11-0 as a professional and who back home for a trip to Donegal from Australia.

After growing up in the Top of the Hill area of Derry, Peter settled in Raphoe with his beloved wife Pauline and the couple toasted their 53rd wedding anniversary back in August. He is also survived by sons Rory and Paul, daughter Edel and a wide family circle as well as his vast and countless colleagues in boxing. 

Last year, Peter was the manager of the Ireland team for the 2024 EUBC Junior Boys and Girls European Boxing Championships in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the Irish won seven medals - two gold and five bronze.

This July, he was joint manager of an Irish team for the Monkstown Box Cup and he also managed Ireland at the 2021 AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships in Belgrade and the 2012 Veles Cup in Russia. Previously, he served as team manager at the 2015 European Elite Championships in Bulgaria, where Joe Ward and Michael Conlan won gold.

“He bowed out unbeaten - simply because he was unbeatable,” Caolin O’Donnell said in a powerful eulogy.

“There was something about him that drew people in, he made everyone feel like they mattered.

“He watched tens of thousands of fights and had an unmatched passion and encyclopaedia knowledge of boxing. He knew all the clubs and all the boxers.

“He treated them all the same and no matter who it was or where they were from, a word of encouragement from Pete was guaranteed.  He followed their journey from Boy 1 all the way to wherever they went - even if that wasn’t in boxing.  Pete was a loyal friend to so many . . . He had a way of making everyone laugh, even on his darkest days. He was full of craic, full of life, and always had something witty to say.”