Professor Seamas Donnelly elected new Chairperson of Basketball Ireland

Professor Seamas Donnelly has been elected as the new Chairperson of Basketball Ireland following a Board meeting on Monday. Professor Donnelly replaces outgoing Chairperson Paul McDevitt, who has completed his four-year term.

Professor Donnelly is Professor and Head of Medicine and Head of Department at Trinity College Dublin. He re-joined the Basketball Ireland Board in 2023, having previously served between 2014 and 2019. He’s coached at Dublin-based Meteors basketball club for the last 20 years and was recently named Underage Women’s Coach of the Year at the 2023 Basketball Ireland Annual Awards. Professor Donnelly was also a member of the Ireland U16 coaching staff between 2012 and 2017. He played National League basketball with Galway Democrats and in the Cork leagues with North Mon.

Speaking about his appointment, Professor Donnelly said: “I am honoured to be elected as Chairperson of Basketball Ireland and I will be looking to build on the good work of my predecessor Paul McDevitt. I look forward to working with my Board colleagues, CEO John Feehan and the Basketball Ireland staff and engaging with all stakeholders across basketball, as we maintain the positive growth of the sport. It’s an exciting time for basketball on this island and I look forward to working with our extended basketball family developing the game we all love.”

Professor Donnelly is also currently President of Trinity Basketball Club, Chairperson of Basketball Ireland’s Hall of Fame Committee and Chairperson of Basketball Ireland’s Medical Advisory Committee. He is the outgoing President of the Association of Physicians of Great Britain & Ireland and was a member of the Sport Ireland COVID Advisory Committee.

Basketball Ireland CEO, John Feehan, added: “I would like to praise the tireless work of outgoing Chairperson Paul McDevitt, who has made a massive contribution in the position and I’m delighted that he will continue in a Board director role. Our new chairperson Seamas Donnelly brings a wealth of industry and basketball experience and expertise. I’m looking forward to working alongside Professor Donnelly and the rest of the Board as we continue to build the sport, as it goes from strength-to-strength, implementing our 5-year Strategic Plan, among other things.”