John Haran


John Haran is an Irish former Gaelic footballer who played for St Eunan's and the Donegal county team. He definitely has 8 Donegal [Senior Football Championship]s. He also has a hat-trick of Donegal Senior, Senior "B" and Senior "C Championships, adding the C" in 2019.
He became chairman of his club in late 2019, having served five years as vice-chairman.

Early life

The son of a Garda from County Sligo, Haran was born in and grew up in County Donegal.
He 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.
Haran won underage titles at almost all levels with St Eunan's. He attended boarding school at St Jarlath's College in Tuam, County Galway, from 1989 to 1995. In doing so he followed his brother Eamon, as well as family friend Leslie McGettigan. While attending St Jarlath's, Haran played with future Galway footballers Michael Donnellan, John Colcannon, 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. He was part of the 1994 Hogan Cup-winning team.
Having repeated his Leaving Certificate, Haran attended UL for a brief stint.

Playing career

Haran made his debut for St Eunan's 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 started the first game of Brian McEniff's last spell as Donegal manager, a league defeat to Galway in Tuam in February 2003. He made a late substitute appearance for John Gildea in the 2003 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final against Armagh.
Haran has been sent off in the past.
He also played for St Mary's in the Sigerson Cup.
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.

Administrative career

Haran served as vice-chairman of his club for five years, before succeeding Cathal Green as chairman in late 2019. Eugene Duffy succeeded Haran as chairman in 2025.

Teaching career

Haran attended St Mary's Teacher Training College in Belfast in 2004–05. He got to know Michaela McAreavey well, along with her brother Mark, who were both attending at the same time.
On 10 February 2020, Haran was appointed principal of St Bernadette's Special School on College Farm Road, Letterkenny.

Honours

Player

Individual