The Galway Taekwon-Do School was established in 1993, and was the first ITF recognised school ever to be established in the city.

Mr. O'Donnell has been practising Taekwon-Do since 1987. He is a student of Master Francis Barrett 7th Degree whom he originally trained under in the RITA's Clonmel school, before relocating to Galway in 1992 to attend university.

He co-founded the Galway School with Mr. Howard in 1993 after the pair met and discussed their ambitions to promote Taekwon-Do in the West region earlier that year.

Like his fellow instructor, Mr. O'Donnell is a former Irish team member. He was on the national team for the 1995 European Championships in Germany and was also a member of the Irish team which defeated the United States team in Dublin, 1998. He represented Ireland as International Umpire at the 2001 ITF World Championships in Rimini, Italy, and the 2005 European Championships in Dublin.  He was also a member of the Organising Committee for the 2005 Euros.  He was promoted to ITF 6th Dan in September 2005.

Mr. O'Donnell is a member of the RITA’s Disciplinary Committee and Finance Committee.  He is also one of two Coaches to the National Colour Belt Team (the other being Mr Robert Howard 6th Degree).