John Haran


John Haran is an Irish former Gaelic footballer who played for Naomh Adhamhnáin and the Donegal county team. He definitely has 8 Donegal Senior Football Championships. He also has a hat-trick of Donegal Senior, Senior "B" and Senior "C Championships, adding the C" in 2019.

Early life

Haran learned his trade on the St Eunan's College fields, adjacent to the legendary Gaelic stronghold of Hawthorn Heights and other members of the very successful Glencar Street League teams who, under the guidance of Seamus Haran and Martin Anderson, brought much success to this more affluent part of town. Glencar often inflicted large defeats on the likes of Termon, Glenswilly, Illistrin and the soccer lads from Ballyraine. He went on to win underage titles at almost all levels with St Eunan's and attended boarding school at St Jarlath's College from 1989 to 1995. While there he played with future Galway greats, Michael Donnellan, John Concannon, Declan and Tomás Meehan, Tommy and Pádraic Joyce, as well as fellow Donegal men Kevin Winston and Alan McFadden. He cites Fr Oliver Hughes and Joe Long as his main influences.
Having repeated his Leaving Certificate, Haran attended UL for a brief stint.

Playing career

Haran made his debut for Naomh Adhamhnáin in 1995. He won eight Donegal Senior Football Championships, the last of which came in 2014 before he retired from senior football in 2017. In spite of this "retirement", Haran was man of the match in the final of the 2014 Donegal Senior Football Championship.
Declan Bonner handed him his inter-county league debut in 1998. He made his Championship debut against Cavan at Breffni Park on 12 May 2002.
He knew Michaela McAreavey well.
He has been sent off in the past.
He was one of those who made known his displeasure at Vincent Hogan over Hogan's infamous "sheep" jibe against Jim McGuinness and his team in a national newspaper.
He now plays on the reserve team for St Eunan's and in the Autumn of 2018 won his first Donegal Senior Reserve Championship medal, coming off the bench against Naomh Conaill to help steer the youthful Letterkenny side to victory.

Honours

Player