Danny Quinn. Winning an All-Ireland but losing my wife episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 27, 2026 · 59 MIN

Danny Quinn. Winning an All-Ireland but losing my wife

from The GAA Social · host BBC Radio Ulster

Danny Quinn is one of those special people you come across in life. Kind, respected and loved. He's the Principal of Anahorish Primary school, where Seamus Heaney was taught how to read and write. He won an All-Ireland with Derry in 1993, captained Bellaghy to Ulster club success and Croke Park. He also won a Sigerson with St Mary's, living with the now Tyrone Manager Malachy O'Rourke for a period of time. There's quite a bit of chat around for Armagh goalkeeper Benny Tierney too. Great times.Danny's wife Catherine died in May 2011 after a double lung transplant. Hope turned to despair. She was 42. Catherine is from the well-known and respected Murray family of Ballinascreen. Rivals of Bellaghy in football, now connected always. This is the story of a man, losing his wife and raising three kids by himself. Amy, Conor and Dara are all grown up and life is good, just a different upbringing.Organ donation is important to Danny, he doesn't want pity- nor needs it. "I'm very lucky. Lucky to come from the GAA, lucky to come from Bellaghy"The glass is always half-full, but he's not a great fan of Crossmaglen. Boxing (legal and illegal) paints much of the Bellaghy/ Crossmaglen story. Two clubs with huge respect for each other off the pitch. From an intimate portrayal of getting on with life, to boxing the head of Jim McConville, this is an outstanding podcast.PS- Danny though we had stopped recording, twice. We didn't.

Danny Quinn is one of those special people you come across in life. Kind, respected and loved. He's the Principal of Anahorish Primary school, where Seamus Heaney was taught how to read and write. He won an All-Ireland with Derry in 1993, captained Bellaghy to Ulster club success and Croke Park. He also won a Sigerson with St Mary's, living with the now Tyrone Manager Malachy O'Rourke for a period of time. There's quite a bit of chat around for Armagh goalkeeper Benny Tierney too. Great times.Danny's wife Catherine died in May 2011 after a double lung transplant. Hope turned to despair. She was 42. Catherine is from the well-known and respected Murray family of Ballinascreen. Rivals of Bellaghy in football, now connected always. This is the story of a man, losing his wife and raising three kids by himself. Amy, Conor and Dara are all grown up and life is good, just a different upbringing.Organ donation is important to Danny, he doesn't want pity- nor needs it. "I'm very lucky. Lucky to come from the GAA, lucky to come from Bellaghy"The glass is always half-full, but he's not a great fan of Crossmaglen. Boxing (legal and illegal) paints much of the Bellaghy/ Crossmaglen story. Two clubs with huge respect for each other off the pitch. From an intimate portrayal of getting on with life, to boxing the head of Jim McConville, this is an outstanding podcast.PS- Danny though we had stopped recording, twice. We didn't.

NOW PLAYING

Danny Quinn. Winning an All-Ireland but losing my wife

0:00 59:54

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The GAA Social?

This episode is 59 minutes long.

When was this The GAA Social episode published?

This episode was published on January 27, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Danny Quinn is one of those special people you come across in life. Kind, respected and loved. He's the Principal of Anahorish Primary school, where Seamus Heaney was taught how to read and write. He won an All-Ireland with Derry in 1993, captained...

Can I download this The GAA Social episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!