John Donnellan

John F. Donnellan (born 27 March 1937) is an Irish former politician and sportsman. He served as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála (TD) for twenty-five years and as a Minister of State from 1982 to 1987. He played Gaelic football for his local club Dunmore McHales and at senior level for the Galway county team in the 1960s.

Early and private life John Donnellan was born in Dunmore, County Galway in 1937. He was born into a family that had strong interests in both Gaelic games and Irish politics. His father, Michael Donnellan, had won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC) medal with Galway in 1925, later becoming a TD for Clann na Talmhan. John Donnellan would go on to follow in his father's footsteps in both of these pursuits, although for a different party. John's son, Michael, would also go on to play football for Galway, winning All-Ireland SFC medals in 1998 and 2001.

In December 1982, he was appointed by Garret FitzGerald as Minister of State at the Department of Posts and Telegraphs and Minister of State at the Department of Transport. In 1983, he was reassigned as Minister of State at the Department of Health and Minister of State at the Department of Social Welfare with special responsibility for public health and social welfare information. He served until Fine Gael left office after the 1987 general election.

In April 1988, following criticism of party leader Alan Dukes, Donnellan was expelled from the parliamentary party. Donnellan retired from politics at the 1989 general election.