Donegal man behind Jimmy's Winning Matches reveals what Jim McGuinness said to him in famous photo

Rory Gallagher has expressed his delight following the success of the reappointment of Jim McGuinness - even if the Donegal manager did once joke he’d have him killed! 

After the 2012 All-Ireland quarter-final win over Kerry, Gallagher - a singer/singwriter from Kilcar based in Lanzarote - penned ‘Jimmy’s Winning Matches’ from the Spanish island and uploaded it to YouTube. The song exploded online - with over a million views - and became the soundtrack to Donegal winning Sam Maguire that season.

Following a glittering four-year term as manager of Donegal - winning Division 2 in 2011, three Ulster titles and the 2012 All-Ireland - McGuiness left the role in October 2014. He returned last September and in his first season back, Donegal have won Division 2, the Ulster SFC and play Galway in their first All-Ireland semi-final in 10 years at Croke Park tomorrow. 

Gallagher has released a revamped version of  ‘Jimmy’s Winning Matches’ with proceeds going to Donegal Hospice and footballer fever has gripped the county and supporters of the team wherever they are in the world. 

“In the picture, taken almost 12 years ago Jim McGuinness is actually saying into my ear: ‘See if one more person shouts Jimmy's Winning Matches at me I swear to God I'll have you killed!,” Gallagher posted on his Facebook, Rory and the Island.

“There is now of course the big semi-final versus Galway on Sunday. Some people are optimistic, but a lot of people are worried! But to me, we are already in bonus land.

“When Jim McGuinness was re-appointed Donegal manager less than a year ago, we were in bad shape. If you told someone back then that right now we would be back in Division 1, Ulster Champions ... and just about to play in an All-Ireland semi-final with a damn good chance of winning it, you would have been carted off by men in white coats!

“But now on Sunday Donegal people all across the globe, some might be standing next to a kangaroo, a cactus in the Canaries, a Brooklyn bridge, a Big Ben, a Burj Khalifa, we will hunt down a pub with a dodgy box in Outer Mongolia if needs be!! 

“But we will all unite and feel proud as we watch our team line out for Amhran na Bhfiann in Croke Park thinking of family and friends in that one moment together, and those moments are like gold dust, We did not expect so many of them already this season, This was meant to be a rebuilding year, so for me whatever happens this has been an amazing season, the boom is back baby! Jimmy's back!”

Gallagher said he will be at the Irish Viking in Lanzarote “panicking” when Donegal play Galway at Croke Park and win, lose or draw, will probably play his song.

“Now Having had to sing that song about 7,000 times, years ago I was glad it had faded away to be honest, but being sent new footage of kids singing it in schools or on the back of buses on the way to a match this year - kids who weren't born even in 2012! - melted my cynicism away,” he added.

“I was more than delighted to have my own two boys Aidan and Shay experience all this for the first time, the second time around. It was a pleasure to re-record an updated acoustic version for Donegal Hospice last month. So here we are, Jim McGuinness has the magic touch, he blends sports psychology perfectly with physical fitness and most importantly a wee bit of the holy spirit! If we win this next match it will be dreamland, if we don't it's been amazing and I'm already looking forward to next year. Up Donegal!”