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.
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.”
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