Declan Bonner

Declan Bonner (born 11 August 1965) is an Irish Gaelic footballer and manager. He played at senior level for the Donegal county team, winning an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title in 1992. He later managed the Donegal county team for two spells between 1997 and 2000 and 2017 and 2022, winning two Ulster Senior Football Championship titles during the latter, while playing as goalkeeper for Na Rossa.

Bonner's first spell as manager of the county team, from 1997 until 2000, saw him denied an Ulster Senior Football Championship title by a last-minute Joe Brolly goal in the 1998 final. After leading the county minor team to the 2014 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship final, Bonner was given a second chance at the senior job when a vacancy arose in 2017. Donegal had been left in a state of decline by his predecessor following the successful Jim McGuinness era. Bonner improved the team and led them to two Ulster Senior Football Championship titles, in 2018 and 2019, becoming only the second manager in team history (after McGuinness) to retain the title.

Bonner maintains prominent media roles in his native county, such as with Highland Radio. He contributes a weekly column called "[Making] No Bones About It[!]", which features on the inside back cover of the Donegal News.

Bonner attended Rosses Community School. He was part of the school association football team which won the 1982 All-Ireland Under-16 title. He scored the goal in the 1–0 Ulster final win over Falcarragh CS. He scored it from the halfway line. In the All-Ireland semi-final the game went to penalties, with Rosses Community School advancing 3–1 and Bonner scoring one of those. Bonner was playing at centre back.

Playing career Club Bonner plays for his local club Na Rossa. He is considered their "most famous son". He played his fortieth season in 2019, participating in the Donegal Junior Football Championship as an emergency goalkeeper.

As of 2020, he was chairman of his club.

Inter-county Bonner made his National Football League debut for Donegal at the age of 18 in late-1983. He made his senior championship debut against Armagh in 1987. Conaghan's time as manager came to an end and Brian McEniff returned to the role in September 1989. He once played for Finn Harps against Cobh Ramblers on a Sunday at noon, then for Donegal against Longford in the National Football League on the same day in 1991.

Bonner scored 0–19 in the 1992 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. Upon doing so he clenched his fist, certain in the knowledge of victory.

Bonner played his last game for Donegal against Cavan in the 1997 Ulster SFC semi-final. When he left Donegal were two points ahead.

Management career

Bonner has been mentored in management by McEniff. This was during his fall out with Donegal manager Tom Conaghan during which time Bonner was exiled from the county team. He was called the day after Cavan won the 1997 Ulster Senior Football Championship final to ask about submitting his name for the role. He was informed of the decision to appoint him at 9.29 pm on 11 August 1997, after Anthony Molloy, past manager Conaghan and Pauric McShea all withdrew. He coached Carl McHugh, the professional footballer, at Na Rossa. He also managed An Clochán Liath.

Bonner sought a joint managerial position with the senior footballers alongside Charlie Mulgrew in 2008, but both ultimately lost out to John Joe Doherty.

Bonner won the (Ulster under-16) Buncrana Cup in 2012. He managed the county team to the 2014 Ulster Minor Football Championship; then to a first ever All-Ireland Minor Football Championship final, against Kerry. He was not afforded a meeting with his predecessor as county minor manager, a decision he criticised in 2017 when he wrote in the Donegal News that such a meeting should be mandatory.

When Jim McGuinness departed as county manager after the 2014 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, Bonner was linked with the managerial vacancy.

In 2015, Bonner was appointed manager of the Donegal under-21 team. He managed the county team to an Ulster Under-21 Football Championship in 2017, defeating Derry in the final. While managing the Donegal under-21 team, Bonner was linked with the vacant Cavan senior post in October 2016.

On 22 September 2017, Bonner was reappointed manager of the senior team on a three-year term, succeeding Rory Gallagher. Shortly before the appointment, Bonner wrote in the Donegal News: "We were a top tier team, but we have dropped down over the last year or two, and I can't see that changing unless we start to have a serious look at our structures from Under 15 right up to seniors, and the way we conduct our business". Bonner's appointment was not universally welcomed. However, it brought about a marked improvement in the team's fortunes and Bonner led his county to the 2018 and 2019 Ulster Senior Football Championship titles.

Bonner was reappointed for another two-year term as Donegal manager at the end of August 2021 when no other candidates emerged to succeed him.

He left the role in July 2022.

Club management and Fermanagh Bonner managed Na Rossa to the 2023 Donegal Junior Football Championship title, with his two sons Cillian and Christian among the players involved.

As 2023 drew to a close, Bonner was appointed manager of Erne Gaels. He led Erne Gaels to consecutive Fermanagh SFC titles in 2024 and 2025, and in the 2025 Ulster Senior Club Football Championship, led the club to a first win at this level, against Kingscourt Stars. In between he was appointed manager of Fermanagh, succeeding Kieran Donnelly.

Personal life Bonner married Catherine in 1990 and had four children.

Honours Player Donegal All-Ireland Senior Football Championship: 1992 Ulster Senior Football Championship: 1990, 1992

Na Rossa Donegal Intermediate Football Championship: 1989 Donegal Junior Football Championship: 1982

Manager Donegal Ulster Senior Football Championship: 2018 2019 Ulster Under-21 Football Championship: 2017 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship runner-up: 2014 Ulster Minor Football Championship: 2014 [Ulster Under-17] Jim McGuigan Cup: [Ulster Under-16] Buncrana Cup: 2012

Na Rossa Donegal Intermediate Football Championship: 1989 Donegal Junior Football Championship: 2023

Gaoth Dobhair Donegal Senior Football Championship: 2006

Erne Gaels Fermanagh Senior Football Championship: 2024, 2025