Mark Connolly admits the death of his father and a desire to be closer to his family in Ireland helped seal a return home to sign for Dundalk.
The Dundee United defender has joined the Lilywhites on loan for the rest of the SPFL season after a similar deal with Dunfermline came to an end at the weekend.
The 30-year-old credits the Dundalk Schoolboys League side for kick-starting his professional career by helping him win a move to Wolves as a 16-year-old.
And the former Republic of Ireland under-21 cap now wants to help the League of Ireland side build on their recent successes in Europe, where they reached the group stages of the Europa League two seasons ago.
✍🏻 Dundalk FC is delighted to announce the signing of Mark Connolly on a six-month loan deal from Dundee United.
The Clones native will wear the number 5️⃣ shirt this season.
🏁 Welcome to Oriel, @mark5connolly!
— Dundalk FC (@DundalkFC) January 17, 2022
He said: “I’m really excited and really buzzing to be here. It’s been a long time coming and it hasn’t been a great secret, but it’s something I really wanted and I’m delighted it’s done.
“It was a huge decision for me to come home. It’s been almost 15 years since I went to England as a teenager and it’s a decision I didn’t take lightly.
“Unfortunately, last year, my father [Martin] passed away and I wanted to be closer to my family. But, as well as that, I believe I’m coming home to the right club.
“When I moved away, I always kept an eye on Dundalk. To me, it’s a club that has put League of Ireland football on the map with their results in the Europa League group stages.
“I wanted to be part of something exciting and I think that’s the case here. It’s the start of a new era and I really can’t wait to get going now.”
