Jimmy Donnelly

Jimmy Donnelly was an Irish international lawn bowler who represented Northern Ireland, born on 11 April 1928 and working as a teacher by trade. He competed at three Commonwealth Games, and his best result there was a bronze medal in the pairs at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, partnered by Syd Thompson. He returned to the Games in 1974 in Christchurch, New Zealand, where he bowled in the fours. At home he bowled for the Falls Bowls Club and won the Irish national pairs title in 1979 and the fours title in 1968, along with five national indoor titles, and he was named Ireland's bowler of the year in 1965. He was runner-up at the 1979 World Indoor Bowls Championship, behind David Bryant. He died on 21 February 1980, aged 51, and the Jimmy Donnelly Trophy for Ireland's best bowler in the annual British Isles international series is named in his memory.