'It pulls at you emotionally': How people and place drew Jim McGuinness back to Donegal

A knock arrived to the door on June 25, 2023 and Jim McGuinness's heart strings began to tug at him.

Patrick McBrearty arrived with a proposition and promise all rolled into a plea.

There stood the Donegal captain and McGuinness's mind wandered back. In 2011, McGuinness brought McBrearty, then a fifth-year student at Colaiste na Carraige, into his senior ranks.

2023 was an annus horribilis in Donegal. McBrearty, the day after the season was ended by Tyrone, sought out the man he felt – he knew, in fact – could turn the tide.

On Sunday, McBrearty took hold of the Anglo Celt, the cherished prize making its way back to Donegal for the 11^th time.

Eleven months after opening the door to McBrearty in Creeslough, McGuinness was at it again, leading Donegal to his fourth provincial title as manager.

“They arrived at the door the day after they got beat by Tyrone and they never stopped after that,” McGuinness said.

“Two days after that, there was a letter in the post box. It just went from there. It was constant and they never left me alone.

“It pulls at you, emotionally. You be sitting in the house wondering, could you make a difference? You have that scenario running through your head. Eventually, Patrick McBrearty broke me!”

Brendan O'Donnell, the long-time Donegal GAA videographer and a close friend of McGuinness, last week released an updated version of This Is Us, a motivational video originally put together for the 2014 All-Ireland final.

The voice of Sean McGinley., the actor from Ballyshannon, carries the importance of every word.

“All of this is about place. Who we are. Where we are from. Deep down in us all. Buried sometimes so deep you don't know if you can find it. The boys tapped into that.”

Since losing that 2014 All-Ireland final to Kerry, McGuinness has been via the Chaoyang District of Beijing, where he worked with Beijing Sinobo Guoan and Charlotte, North Carolina, where he was head coach of Charlotte Independence.

McGuinness was still of Donegal and from Donegal, no matter where he roamed.

“I was walking away from a part of my life that I put a lot into – and that I want to go back to some day, probably,” he said in a heaving corridor of St Tiernach's Park after his side grabbed hold of the prize, winning 6-5 on penalties after a 0-20 apiece stalemate.

Thousands of Donegal supporters – his own people – danced to Bruce Springsteen's Glory Days on the pitch after Shaun Patton saved the final penalty from Shane McPartlan.

“Massive,” enthused McGuinness. “That's the whole thing about inter-county football. Place and identity, that's the whole show. Where you come from. Who you represent. They are out there today and are very fortunate to be the 15 or the 26 representing Donegal.

“It's everything: It’s personalities, it’s people, it’s belief, it’s the backroom team - it’s everything. You’re trying to find good people, you’re trying to find good players.

“We had a very extensive trial period, you’re trying to make all of it come together, trying to build good relationships if you can.”

McGuinness told how, the night prior to the game, the Donegal squad watched Cork's dramatic win over Limerick at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh (where Springsteen will play on Thursday) to keep their season alive.

Cork, like Donegal would the next day, came from four behind, to win.

A year ago, Donegal limped out of Ulster after a 2-13 to 1-11 loss to Down in Newry. Just a couple of hundred made their way to Newry.

In what seems like an instant, McGuinness has turned water into wine again.

As he sat and listened to McBrearty in late June, the Glenties native believed in what was possible.

“You have to believe that,” he said. “If you don't see yourself, in the depths of winter, here in Clones on the Ulster final then there's no point being back.

“You have to believe that. The challenge is trying to build a team, a management team and a group of players.

“There are so many levels. There is the fitness side of things, the support systems are another. There's belief and culture.

“They turn up every night and give it everything. It wasn't perfect and we have a lot of things to tweak, but they turned up and they gave it everything. They kept responding.”