Dan McCartan

{{Short description|Northern Irish Gaelic footballer (1939–2024}}

{{Infobox Gaelic games player

| code = Football

| sport = Gaelic football

| image =

| name = Dan McCartan

| irish = Dónall Mac Artáin

| feet = 6

| inches = 0

| occupation = Dentist

| nickname = Big Dan{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2024/0303/1435738-death-of-down-gaa-legend-dan-mccartan-snr/|title=Death of Down GAA legend Dan McCartan snr|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=3 March 2024|access-date=4 March 2024}}

| county = Down

| province = Ulster

| club = Glenn
Tullylish
Carryduff

| clubs =

| clyears =

| clapps(points) =

| clcounty = 3

| clprovince =

| clallireland =

| colleges =

| colyears =

| sig =

| counties = Down

| icposition = Centre-back

| icyears = 1958–1976

| icapps(points) =

| icprovince = 8

| icallireland = 3

| nfl = 3

| allstars = 0

| clupdate =

| icupdate =

| birth_date = {{birth date text|May 1939}}{{cite news|url=https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2019/05/29/news/former-1968-all-ireland-winning-down-gaa-team-reunite-for-80th-birthday-celebrations-1630080/|title=Former 1968 All Ireland winning Down GAA team reunite for 80th birthday celebrations|publisher=The Irish News|date=29 May 2019|access-date=4 March 2024}}

| birth_place = Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland

| death_date = {{death date and given age|df=y|2024|03|03|84}}

| death_place = Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland

}}

Daniel McCartan (May 1939 – 3 March 2024) was a Northern Irish Gaelic footballer, selector and manager. He played at club level with Glenn, Tullylish and Carryduff and at inter-county level with the Down senior football team.

Playing career

McCartan had his first Gaelic football successes as a student at St Colman's College in Newry. He won consecutive MacRory Cups in his last two years as a student, as well as being a Hogan Cup runner-up in 1957.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/news/50th-anniversary-of-st-nathys-historic-all-ireland-triumph/27531275.html|title=50th anniversary of St. Nathy's historic All-Ireland triumph|publisher=Irish Independent|date=21 March 2007|access-date=4 March 2024}} McCartan began his adult club career with Glenna round this time, and won Down SFC titles in 1959, 1962 and 1963.{{cite news|url=https://www.clubinfo.ie/club/glenn-john-martins-gfc/|title=Glenn John Martins GFC|publisher=Club Info website|date=|access-date=4 March 2024}} He later transferred to the Tullylish club before ending his career with Carryduff.{{cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/gaa-then-and-now/28152727.html|title=GAA: Then and now|publisher=Irish Independent|date=29 June 2003|access-date=4 March 2024}}

McCartan was just 19-years-old when he was drafted onto the Down senior football team. His career coincided with Down's most successful era ever, and he won All-Ireland SFC medals in 1960, 1961 and 1968.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishnews.com/sport/gaafootball/2018/09/21/news/the-boys-of-summer-in-golden-jubilee-year-down-s-1968-heroes-recall-glorious-all-ireland-triumph-1438144/|title=The boys of summer: Down's 1968 heroes recall glorious All-Ireland triumph 50 years on|publisher=The Irish News|date=21 September 2008|access-date=4 March 2024}} McCartan was also part of eight Ulster SFC-winning teams and collected three National League titles. He also won four Railway Cup medals with Ulster. McCartan's inter-county career was brought to an end when he was dropped from the Down team in January 1976.{{cite news|url=http://www.downgaa.net/news/the-late-dan-mccartan|title=The Late Dan McCartan|publisher=Down GAA website|date=3 March 2024|access-date=4 March 2024}}

Management career

When his playing career ended, McCartan became involved in team management and coaching. He was a selector when the Down senior team won the Ulster SFC title in 1978 . McCartan was also a selector when the Down minor team beat Cork to win the All-Ireland MFC title in 1987.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-20131041.html|title=Which team is under greater psychological pressure?|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=17 September 2010|access-date=4 March 2024}}

Personal life and death

His brother, James McCartan, was a teammate on Down's All-Ireland SFC-winning teams in 1960 and 1961.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40361327.html|title=Tributes paid as James McCartan Snr, the King of Down football, is laid to rest|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=17 August 2021|access-date=4 March 2024}} His nephews, James McCartan Jnr and Daniel McCartan, also played with Down.{{cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/gaa/down/james-mccartan-is-facing-one-of-the-stiffest-challenges-of-his-career-as-he-seeks-to-steer-down-away-from-the-threat-of-relegation/41377147.html|title=James McCartan is facing one of the stiffest challenges of his career as he seeks to steer Down away from the threat of relegation|publisher=Belfast Telegraph|date=23 February 2022|access-date=4 March 2024}} McCartan qualified as a dentist and practiced for many years on the Andersonstown Road in west Belfast.

McCartan died in the Downe Hospital on 3 March 2024, at the age of 84.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41344859.html|title=Football mourns Down great Dan McCartan|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=3 March 2024|access-date=4 March 2024}}