Football mourns Down great Dan McCartan

McCartan was a vital cog on the legendary Down team that made the breakthrough in 1960 and 1961.

Sun, 03 Mar, 2024 - 21:26

Cian Locke

Tributes have poured into Down football great Dan McCartan, who has died.

A three-time All-Ireland winner, McCartan was a vital cog on the legendary Down team that made the breakthrough in 1960 and 1961, winning a third title in 1968.

One of the sport's finest defenders, he also won three league titles and eight Ulster crowns, as well as four Railway Cups with Ulster.

After his playing career, he was a selector with the Down side who won the 1978 Ulster title and the 1983 National League.

He was also a selector with the 1987 All-Ireland winning minors, a famous team that contained his nephew James as well as Patrick Kielty.

Dan's brother James, who died in August 2021, also won two All-Irelands while Dan's son Mark won the All-Ireland with the county in 1991.

Down GAA said: "Dan made a difference to the lives of many, those whom he played with and those he would go on to coach. He was a passionate and proud Down man, who at all times gave of his best in any task that he undertook.

"The present generation of Down footballers are inheritors of a great tradition that began with men like Dan McCartan. Indeed a wonderful legacy, in club and county has been left by a great man."

Former Down manager Peter McGrath told the Belfast Telegraph: “The 1968 All-Ireland triumph by Down was even more meaningful because it underlined the county’s progress in that era.

“And this, of course, was due in no small measure to legends like Dan McCartan. Nor did he rest on his laurels. Indeed, I was particularly fortunate enough to play on the same team as Dan in the early Seventies.

“We played Donegal in the Ulster Final in 1974 and Dan underlined his versatility by playing at full-back while I was up at corner forward.

“In was during the following year that Dan called time on his career at inter-county level after he and John O’Neill had been playing from 1958 right through. Their long playing careers saw them break all kinds of records and no players deserved this more.”