Donnelly, William

Born about 1844, William (or Will) was the second eldest son in the Donnelly family. Born with a clubfoot, William was a sickly child but a handsome man. He was seen as the leader of the Donnelly family and was responsible for undertakings such as the attempt at abducting Margaret Thompson, whom he loved. In the end, however, William married Nora Kennedy, much to the chagrin of the Kennedy family. William was known for raising horses and he also became involved in the stagecoach business. He had run-ins with both James Carroll and Father John Connolly. Not one to back down, William also challenged various members of the Vigilance Committee. When his brother John was shot at William’s home the night of February 4, 1880, the murderers wrongly assumed they had killed William. Devastated by the loss of his relatives, William worked tirelessly to bring the murderers of his family to justice. He went on to become a constable in Glencoe. William died in 1897.