Harte: Presence is the Only Thing Mickey Harte with Michael Foley (Poolbeg)

 

The rise and rise of the Tyrone football team to the very top of the GAA pile over the last decade has been astounding. And it has been interwoven with the soaring fortunes of their charismatic manager, Mickey Harte.

Here, for the first time, Harte tells his full story, from his early years growing up in the townland of Glencull, through his time as club manager with Errigal Ciaran and managing the county minors, right up to the recent heady days of winning three All-Ireland senior titles. Along the way, there were many setbacks - the split in the Ballygawley club, the tragic deaths of Paul McGirr and Cormac McAnallen, controversy and infighting in 2004. But Mickey Harte's determination and unique management style, along with a team whose hearts were beating to the rhythm of newfound hope, saw them claim sweet victories in 2003, 2005 and 2008. Mickey Harte's philosophy and faith lie at the core of Tyrone's success. His approach to coaching transcends the playing field. He believes in an athlete-centred approach, where players take responsibility for their own performance and their role on the team. He's a quiet, humble and deeply spiritual man, which brings its own set of ethics to bear on his outlook and how the team handled the many tragedies that befell them over the last decade. In this candid and forthright autobiography, Mickey Harte pulls no punches in giving his opinion on what is right and what is wrong in Gaelic football in the twenty-first century; uncovering the truth behind some of the controversies and tensions that have dogged his career; and revealing the secrets that have led to Tyrone's remarkable success. Harte is destined to become a classic of sports writing, and is essential reading for any sports fan, or for anyone with an interest in what makes a great team, on or off the pitch.

About the Authors:

Mickey Harte has been manager of the Tyrone Senior Football team since November 2002, having previously coached the minors. He has led the Senior team to three All-Ireland victories so far.

His co-author, Michael Foley, is GAA correspondent and deputy sports editor of the Sunday Times (Irish edition). He won the Boylesports Irish Sports Book of the Year award in 2007 for Kings of September and the GAA's McNamee award for print journalism in 2008.