Mickey Harte (born 1954) is an Irish Gaelic football manager and former player. He has been joint-manager of Offaly since 2024.
Harte managed the Tyrone county team from 2003 until his resignation in 2020, at which time he was the longest-serving manager then active with the same team in inter-county competition. He is the most successful senior manager in the county's history, having led it to three All-Ireland SFC titles, as well as six Ulster SFC titles, one National League and twelve Dr McKenna Cups. Immediately after his exit as Tyrone manager in 2020, Mickey took over the reins of the Louth county team and kept a hold of them until 2023.
Considered one of the best tacticians in the game, Harte is admired both by peers and former rivals.
Early life
Born in Glencull, near Ballygawley, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, Harte was educated at the Christian Brothers Grammar School in Omagh. He trained to be a teacher at St Joseph's College in Belfast (now St Mary's). He taught for five years at De La Salle Boys School in Kircubben. He then moved to St Ciaran's in Ballygawley. In his 22 years spent there, he achieved numerous successes, including Tyrone, Ulster and All-Ireland Vocational Schools titles. He continued working there as he progressed through the county ranks of Tyrone's Gaelic football side, bringing them to a National Football League title, All-Ireland Minor and U21 victories and eventually, in 2003, the Sam Maguire Cup. He led the minor team to an All-Ireland Minor title and three Ulster Minor titles.
Harte's first season in charge of the senior county team came in 2003. His team overcame Down in the 2003 Ulster SFC final, requiring a replay after a drawn game when the team conceded four goals; Harte switched Cormac McAnallen from midfield to full-back for the second game. In the 2005 All-Ireland SFC final, the county defeated Kerry for the second time in three years to win the Sam Maguire Cup.
Harte's and Tyrone's third All-Ireland SFC winning campaign began with a quarter-final loss to Down in the 2008 Ulster SFC. That 2020 defeat was his last game as Tyrone manager.
In November 2020, Harte was appointed manager of the senior Louth county team for an expected three-year period.
In September 2023, Harte was appointed manager of the Derry county team. Taking over a team that had won consecutive Ulster titles, Harte managed them to a heavy defeat against Donegal at Derry's home venue in his only Ulster championship game as Derry manager. Donegal were able to carve out numerous goal opportunities due to Derry's tactics, but only managed to score four of them. The Irish Times described the game as a "classic". The newspaper also named Donegal's first goal, scored with a lob into an empty net as Derry goalkeeper Odhran Lynch ran back up the pitch after vacating his goal, as its "Moment of the Year". Harte left at the end of the season.
Advocacy
In 2009, Harte attended the launch of Patrick McCrystal's controversial book Who is at the Centre of Your Marriage, the Pill or Jesus Christ?
In 2010, as part of the Catholic Church's "Year for Priests" celebration, he contributed to a DVD, In Praise of Priests, featuring interviews with various people expressing admiration for their favourite priest.
Harte attracted controversy when, in 2013, he provided a character reference for Ronan McCusker, who had pleaded guilty to rape, and Judge Piers Grant singled out the character reference from Harte as one of the "mitigating factors" which led him to pitch the jail sentence towards the bottom of the range; two-and-a-half years, 15 months in jail, 15 on licence.
Harte supported the No Vote in the 2018 abortion referendum.
Writing and broadcasting
In 2009, Harte began writing a weekly column for the Northern Irish newspaper, The Irish News. To date his column has focused on hot topics in Gaelic games, referees and other GAA-related topics.
In October 2009, Harte (with the help of Michael Foley) published an autobiography, Harte: Presence Is The Only Thing. It was published by Poolbeg ().
Harte makes occasional appearances to offer analysis on the BBC's championship coverage. He did so less than 48 hours after departing as Tyrone manager.
Personal life
Harte is married to Marian with 4 children. His daughter Michaela McAreavey was murdered on her honeymoon in Mauritius in January 2011. Two of his brothers also died due to illness around the time of his daughter's murder.
Honours
- Honorary Doctorate by Queen's University Belfast for services to Gaelic football (2006)