Up to three months ago, national media headlines and bulletins continually referred to Donegal as a county in crisis.
Croke Park launched a review into the affairs of the county board after it experienced turbulence on a number of fronts.
Senior football manager Paddy Carr stepped aside from his role after just 149 days in charge despite an exhaustive search to replace the previous manager Declan Bonnar.
Before that, academy director Karl Lacey and in the region of 40 coaches stepped away from their underage roles, meaning that around 300 young players didn't initially gather for the start of the season on 1 March.
The general fall-out from the academy being wound down prompted the GAA review at central level and the subsequent review found 14 "high-risk" issues which signalled "a significant weakness in the current control environment, financial management or governance".
Amidst that backdrop, interim senior football manager Aidan O'Rourke took the side for this year’s Ulster championship. They lost to Down at the quarter-final stage but O'Rourke steadied the ship and steered his side to group-stage wins over Clare and Monaghan in the new-look All-Ireland campaign.
He stepped aside after losing to Tyrone in the preliminary quarter-finals and on 4 July the county board selected a five-man committee to find a new manager.
It included Donegal icons Martin McHugh and Anthony Molloy, Anthony Doogan, secretary Declan Martin and chairperson Fergus McGee.
The reappointment of 2012 All-Ireland winning boss Jim McGuinness as their new senior football manager won’t solve all of the county’s problems, but McGee feels it is a massive boost for all concerned in the county and a huge step on the road they want to be on.
"Jim is the most sought-after manager in Ireland, he brings great energy and demands total commitment," McGee told RTE Sport.
"His track record tells it all. He is the players choice, and he is the people’s choice and all today we have been getting texts and messages from Donegal people around the world who are walking tall again. His appointment means a lot."
McGuinness returning is game changing for both Donegal & the game. It will be fascinating to see what he brings this time round. As the 1st UEFA Pro licence holder to manage in the GAA & considering his track record of innovation rest assured he will bring plenty.Grab the popcorn
— Éamonn Fitzmaurice (@efitz6) August 21, 2023
The existing challenges behind the scene will still need careful direction and progression, but McGee has promised the county will work hard to get to where they want to.
"Separately, there is an ongoing process with other issues. We did ask Croke Park to come in and help us out, and they are here to help not to dictate and that is working well.
"I would feel that the area of the academy needs to be looked at again and, personally, I would like to see a rebranding, a restructure and a re-launch and renaming of the academy. But that is for another day.
"Certainly, the positivity from Jim’s appointment shows to me that it’s already been a significant step to raising morale in the county again."
The Donegal chair paid tribute to the likes of Anthony Molloy and Martin McHugh for their work on the selection committee.
"Jim has already named Colm McFadden, Neil McGee and Luke Barrett as members of his backroom and there are a couple more to come in," he said.
"And having Anthony and Martin on board really helped. As people like Cormac McGill [the late and inimitable Gaelic football columnist who wrote stylishly under the title of 'The Follower’] said, they were great footballers, but they are great individuals."
McGee and his committee deployed a rigorous application and interview process as they arrived at McGuiness’ appointment.
They enlisted the help of a human resources expert, Sandra McConnell from Donegal ETB, to give insight into HR matters throughout the process.
McGee also worked closely with an official template advising on the appointment of an intercounty manager which was developed by Croke Park some years ago.
"We worked with that guide and confidentiality was so important to us," he stressed.
"We agreed procedures, ensured there was no conflict of interest, all was in line with the Croke Park process, and from there we shortlisted candidates.
"Some were not considered for interview, but we wrote to them to inform them and thank them for their interest.
"For those who were selected we sent a questionnaire and carried out interviews with Sandra as an observer.
"Those who were unsuccessful were informed. I personally rang them and our secretary wrote to them. On 24 July we were approved as a committee and last night on 21 August, four weeks later, we announced Jim.
"It is a huge boost for all of us and I felt we did everything in proper fashion."
McGee is looking forward to further developing the county’s fortunes.
"This is a huge step to where we want to get to. There is a vision now going forward for Donegal and a strategic plan that we will address.
"But the work will be ongoing all year. We have to ensure that our sponsors who have been so loyal are held onto, and we also need to get new sponsors.
"We have to get fundraising back to where we want it to be but that simply was not possible in the recent past with all the negative stuff, toxic almost, that was around the county.
"There are more challenges ahead, but everyone is walking a little taller in Donegal today."
