Donald McGonagle

AKA:

Donnie

Birth Name:

Donald McGonagle

Birth Date:

May 28, 1937

Birth Place:

Boston, Massachusetts

Death Date:

November 18, 1969

Place of Death:

Boston, Massachusetts

Age:

Cause of Death:

Homicide - gunshot wounds

Cemetery Name:

New Calvary Cemetery

Claim to Fame:

Crime and their Victims

Associates:

Donnie McGonagle was a member of the South Boston McGonagle Family, but not a member of the Mullen Gang run by his twin brother Paulie McGonagle. He had the misfortune of looking so much like his brother when Winter Hill member Whitey Bulger killed Donnie in broad daylight in front of Paulie's house. Years later Bulger also killed Paulie as he consolidated his power and took over the gangs that ran South Boston.

Fun Fact

The story goes that James “Whitey” Bulger pulled up to Donnie in traffic and called out Paulie’s name and then shot Donnie in a case of mistaken identity. What actually happened is that Whitey Bulger walked up to Donnie and put a bullet between his eyes at point bland range in front of Paulie’s house. According to mobster Kevin Weeks, “Just as he pulled the trigger, Jimmy realized it wasn’t Paulie. It was Donald, the most likable of the McGonagle brothers, the only one who wasn’t involved in anything. Jimmy drove straight to Billy O’Sullivan’s house on Savin Hill Avenue and told Billy O, who was at the stove cooking, ‘I shot the wrong one. I shot Donald.’ Billy looked up from the stove and said, ‘Don’t worry about it. He wasn’t healthy anyway. He smoked. He would have gotten lung cancer. How do you want your pork chops?'”

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

New Calvary Cemetery

800 Harvard Street

Mattapan, Massachusetts, 02124

USA

North America

Map:

Cemetery map of New Calvary Cemetery in Mattapan, Massachusetts.

Grave Location:

Section 17, Grave 1540

Grave Location Description

As you enter off of Harvard Street, drive straight on Apostle Avenue and past the office on your right as the road begins to curve to the right. Continue to the metal sign post on the right that reads “Sec 8/Sec 17” and park. Walk back 7 rows to the “Finn” family monument and walk 7 graves into Section 17 and you will find the final resting place of Donald McGonagle.