Former Dungannon Swifts youngster makes loan move to Scottish Championship club
Northern Ireland international Aaron Donnelly has joined Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline Athletic on a season-long loan deal from Dundee.
Magherafelt-born Donnelly came through the ranks at Dungannon Swifts before earning a dream move to Nottingham Forest in 2019, where he signed a professional contract and made his debut in an EFL Cup win over Grimsby Town in August 2022.
The 23-year-old gained senior experience during loan moves to Port Vale, Dundee and Colchester United.
Donnelly departed Forest on a permanent basis in January 2025, returning to Scotland with Dundee after signing a three-and-a-half-year deal, but was limited to just two Premiership appearances last season.
He featured in three of Dundee’s four League Cup matches this term as Steven Pressley’s side finished second in Group D behind Ross County to seal progression to the last-16 stage.
Donnelly made his senior Northern Ireland debut during a friendly win against Andorra in June 2024 and has played 18 times for his country’s U21s.
He joins a growing contingent of Dunfermline players with prior Irish League connections – Shea Kearney, Callumn Morrison, Musa Dibaga and Kian Corbally are all working under ex-Northern Ireland star Lennon in the Scottish Championship.
With Corbally making an impact following his summer move from Ballymena United, Lennon revealed the Irish League is a market his club will continue to monitor for talent.
“Not just Northern Ireland, but the Republic of Ireland is a good market as well,” he told The Courier. “Although, players do have a lot of suitors over there from higher echelons in the game than us.
“We’ve been over looking at players in Dublin and Cork and, obviously, up north as well in the Irish League.
“Kian’s a player that’s been around a little bit in the League of Ireland and had a really good year at Ballymena.
“He’s slotted in very well and brings a little bit of something different to what we had last year. We’re delighted with how he’s done so far.
“It’ll be a transition period for him, no question, coming into full-time football. But he’s settled in very well.
“So, it’s (Irish League) a market that we’re always looking at.”