Born in St. Marys, Ontario, Donnell moved to Toronto, Ontario in 1958 before publishing his first book. Poems (1961), During this period Donnell frequented the Bohemian Embassy, where Margaret Atwood, Gwendolyn MacEwen, Milton Acorn, and other poets established their reputations.
Donnell was born in St. Marys, Ontario and moved to Toronto, Ontario in 1958 before releasing his first literary work, Poems (1961). During this time, Donnell frequently attended the Bohemian Embassy, where prominent poets like Margaret Atwood, Gwendolyn MacEwen, and Milton Acorn gained recognition.