Late Galliagh stalwart Peter ‘Duck’ McDonald was ‘dedicated to betterment of others’

At a Governance and Strategic Planning Committee meeting on Tuesday, Sinn Féin councillor Christopher Jackson, who chaired the meeting, said he had known Mr McDonald, and was aware of his political and community activism, for a long time.

“He’s somebody who dedicated his life to the betterment of others,” Councillor Jackson said. “So I wanted to express the condolences of this council.”

Sinn Féin councillor Sandra Duffy said Mr. McDonald was a friend and mentor for many years, whose 'passion and determination for the community of Ballyarnett was second-to-none'.

“His legacy will be there for everyone to see,” Councillor Duffy added. "Peter started off in the community and an old garage in Leafair and if you visit Leafair now you will see a thriving community with Skeoge House, Leafair Wellbeing Village, and all the rest of it.

“He has contributed to many developments throughout the community even throughout Covid, making sure families and vulnerable people were getting services that they still badly needed.

“He suffered a short illness, but right up to the end he had been working for the community.”

Independent Gary Donnelly said Mr. McDonald was 'small in stature but larger than life' and will be an 'immense loss to Galliagh and the entire city'.

“I’ve known Peter for decades and our arguments and debates have been lively,” Councillor Donnelly said. “He wasn’t afraid of self-criticism and he would tell you like it was.”

SDLP councillor Brian Tierney said Mr McDonald had a unique ability to 'bring people together in pursuit of investment’.

Councillor Tierney said: “He spoke to councillors across this district, to lobby support for one project or another, and if anybody thought they could ignore Peter they had another thing coming.”

"He was able to bring community organisations and government departments together to all sit around the table and talk about an issue.

"Peter's legacy will be the developments at Leafair Community Association and if you look at it now, it's night and day to what it was.

"That is down to the hard work and determination of Peter MacDonald ,our community is a lot better off because of him, and he’ll be sorely missed."

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