View source for Brian Dooher

{{Short description|Tyrone Gaelic footballer and manager}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=May 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox Gaelic games player
| image = Brian Dooher - SFC 2005 - c.c 3.0.jpg
| name = Brian Dooher
| irish = 
| occupation = [[Veterinarian]]
| sport = Gaelic football
| code = Football
| county = Tyrone
| province = Ulster
| clposition = Midfield
| club = [[Clann na nGael GAA (Tyrone)|Clann na nGael]]
| clyears = 
| feet = 5
| inches = 10
| clapps(points) = 
| clcounty = 
| clprovince = 
| colleges = [[UCD GAA|UCD]]
| colyears = 1993–1996
| colapps(points) = 
| sig = 1
| counties = [[Tyrone county football team|Tyrone]] (player)<br>Tyrone (manager)
| icposition = Right Half Forward
| icyears = 1995–2011<br>2020–2024
| icapps(points) = 48<ref>{{cite news |first=Declan |last=Bogue |title=McGrane set for '60' |work=[[Gaelic Life]] |date=2008-05-16 }}</ref>|
| icprovince = 6
| icallireland = 3
| nfl = 2
| allstars = 3
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1975|08|10|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[County Tyrone]], [[Northern Ireland]]
}}
'''Brian Dooher''' is an [[Irish people|Irish]]<!-- PLAYED FOR IRELAND --> former [[Gaelic football]]er who was a member the senior [[Tyrone county football team|Tyrone county team]] between 1995 and 2011.<ref>{{cite news | title = Dooher to stay as Tyrone captain | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7179826.stm | date = 2008-01-08 | access-date = 2020-09-01 | work = [[BBC Sport]] }}</ref> He co-managed the Tyrone senior football team alongside [[Feargal Logan]], succeeding [[Mickey Harte]]<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-25|title=Tyrone Appoint Feargal Logan & Brian Dooher as the New Tyrone Senior Football Managers|url=https://tyronegaa.ie/2020/11/tyrone-apppoint-fergal-logan-brian-dooher-as-the-new-tyrone-senior-football-managers/|access-date=2020-11-25|website=Tyrone GAA|language=en}}</ref> from 2020 until he stepped down from the role in August 2024,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2024-08-26|title=Tyrone seeking new manager as Dooher and Logan depart Red Hands|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/c2l1vv7pkgwo|access-date=2024-08-28|website=BBC Sport}}</ref> following a run of poor results.

He won three [[All-Ireland Senior Football Championship]] medals, five [[Ulster Senior Football Championship]] and two [[National Football League (Ireland)|National League]] titles with the county. He has also won three [[GAA All Stars Awards|All Star Awards]], and six Ulster All-Stars - the joint leader with [[Kieran McGeeney]] and [[Steven McDonnell (Gaelic footballer)|Steven McDonnell]].

Dooher played his club football for [[Clann na nGael, Tyrone|Clann na nGael]].

Dooher was renowned for his hardworking playing style,<ref name="cul">{{cite web|url=http://www.cul4kidz.com/culstarsfball_dooher.htm |title=cul4kidz profile on Dooher |year=2006 |access-date=23 March 2009 |work=Cul4kidz website |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507093225/http://www.cul4kidz.com/culstarsfball_dooher.htm |archive-date= 7 May 2009}}</ref> often doing the gritty, unfashionable work, like picking up the ball in defence,<ref name="cul"/> to feed the forward players. He was also an accurate point scorer.<ref name="cul"/> Although he usually started in the half-forward line, his roaming nature meant he was rarely ever stationed there for very long. His contributions to the game did not go unnoticed by his teammates, as [[Seán Cavanagh]] remarked in 2003 how "I wouldn't be able to [play to my strengths] without Brian's workrate." In the same article, the ''[[Irish Examiner]]'' said, "it would be no exaggeration to call him the hardest working footballer in Ireland."<ref name=IrishExaminer>{{cite web|url=http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2003/09/25/story243198234.asp |title=Tyrone's trojan is not a talker, he's a Dooher |access-date=2007-03-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929150755/http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2003/09/25/story243198234.asp |archive-date=29 September 2007}}</ref> He is a father to Shea Dooher & Jack Dooher.

==Personal life==
Dooher is a former pupil of Loughash Primary School (County Tyrone) and [[St Columb's College]] in [[Derry|Derry City]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7679681.stm |title=Dooher claims Radio Foyle award |access-date=2008-10-20 |work=BBC Sport Online |date=2008-10-20 }}</ref> He later attended [[University College Dublin|UCD]] in [[Dublin]] where he studied Veterinary Medicine. After initially working in private practice in Derry, he joined the [[Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs]] (DAERA) where he has been appointed as the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) for N. Ireland.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/news/appointment-chief-veterinary-officer-cvo-northern-ireland|title=Appointment of Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) for Northern Ireland |access-date=2024-03-09  |work=Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs |date=2024-03-09
 }}</ref>

==Playing career==

===Inter-county===
Dooher made his Senior debut for Tyrone in the [[National Football League (Ireland)|National League]] in 1995 against [[Kildare GAA|Kildare]]. In [[All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1996|1996]], his first full year as a Senior, Dooher helped Tyrone win the [[Ulster Senior Football Championship]]. Tyrone then advanced to play [[Meath GAA|Meath]] in the All-Ireland semi-final, but were defeated. Dooher was one of several Tyrone players, along with [[Ciaran McBride]], [[Jody Gormley]], [[Chris Lawn]] and [[Peter Canavan]] who suffered injuries at the hands of what many Tyrone fans perceived as heavy-handed tactics by Meath.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper = [[Irish Independent]] | url = http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/return-of-the-royals-1051891.html | author = Martin Breheny | title = Return of the Royals | date = 2007-08-04 | access-date = 2009-01-29 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/2140983.stm | title = Tyrone can maintain progress | access-date= 2007-03-06 | work=BBC News | date=2002-07-21}}</ref> Meath defender, [[Martin O'Connell (footballer)|Martin O'Connell]] stood on Dooher's head while he had been felled. During the half-time interval, Dooher had to receive staples in his head, and played the rest of the game heavily bandaged.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=95&si=793604&issue_id=7753 | title = Trip to Croke Park gives trio chance to bury ghost of '96 - (registration required) | access-date = 2007-03-06 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20020910101904/http://unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=95&issue_id=7753&si=793604 | archive-date = 10 September 2002}}</ref> Despite this, he won the Ulster GAA Writers Player of the Year Award, at the age of just 20.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ulstergaawriters.com/citations/bdooher.htm |title=TENNENTS/UGAAWA MERIT AWARD FOR AUGUST 2003 |access-date=2007-03-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050119114720/http://ulstergaawriters.com/citations/bdooher.htm |archive-date=19 January 2005 }}</ref>

In 2001 Tyrone won the Ulster Championship, with victory over [[Cavan GAA|Cavan]] in the final.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2001-07-08|title=GAA: Tyrone are Ulster champions|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-30017753.html|access-date=2021-08-05|website=Irish Examiner|language=en}}</ref> In [[All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2002|2002]] Dooher helped Tyrone win the county's first ever National League title, beating Cavan in the final.

[[Image:Brian Dooher - Sam 2008.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Dooher accepts the Sam Maguire Cup for the second time in 2008]] [[All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2003|2003]] proved to Tyrone' most successful year ever. The year began with Tyrone defending their National League crown, seeing off [[Laois GAA|Laois]] in the decider. They won the Ulster Championship beating [[Down GAA|Down]] in the final, after a replay. [[RTÉ]] pundit and former player [[Colm O'Rourke]] claimed that year Dooher was one of the weak links in the Tyrone team, and that he would "eat his hat" if Tyrone won the All-Ireland with Dooher in the team. Dooher's response was modest, stating that O'Rourke was entitled to his opinion, but that he only cares what the Tyrone manager [[Mickey Harte]] thinks.<ref name=IrishExaminer /> Tyrone did go on to win the All-Ireland (the county's first ever), and Dooher was included in the starting lineup throughout the season. Dooher received an [[GAA All Stars Awards|All-Star award]] for his performances that year.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.hoganstand.com/allstars/football.aspx | title = Football All Stars 1971-2007 | access-date = 2006-03-06 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060204175138/http://www.hoganstand.com/allstars/football.aspx | archive-date = 4 February 2006}}</ref>

Following the untimely death of Tyrone captain [[Cormac McAnallen]] in [[All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2004|2004]], Dooher was handed the Tyrone captaincy. The [[All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2005|following year]] Tyrone won the All-Ireland for a second time, this time with Dooher as captain.<ref name="cul"/> As Dooher was making his acceptance speech after lifting the [[Sam Maguire Cup]], he made an emotional eulogy to McAnallen, remarking how he knew Cormac was with him. There was also a hugely emotional moment between Dooher and manager Mickey Harte after the final whistle. Surrounded by dozens of photojournalists, and thousands of Tyrone fans, the two men embraced in tearful remembrance of their fallen captain. Dooher was once again honoured with an All Star.

Dooher missed most of the 2006 campaign because of a shattered kneecap, but returned to Championship action in [[All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2007|2007]]. He helped Tyrone reach the Ulster final with a [[man of the match]] display against [[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] in the semi-final in which he scored 0-05.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.independent.ie/other/harte-preaches-caution-despite-emphatic-win-but-heaps-praise-on-dynamic-dooher-704554.html | author = Colm Keys | title = Harte preaches caution despite emphatic win but heaps praise on dynamic Dooher | date = 2007-06-18 | access-date = 2007-06-20 | newspaper = [[Irish Independent]]}}</ref> Tyrone went on to defeat [[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]] in the Ulster decider.

Tyrone faced Kerry again in the [[All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2008|2008 All-Ireland]] final, with Tyrone again coming out on top. Dooher became one of only a small number of men to captain two All-Ireland winning teams. This followed a season where his commanding performances spurred the team on during their more difficult encounters. In Tyrone's emphatic quarter final victory over [[Dublin GAA|Dublin]], Dooher was named man of the match.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2008/0816/dublin_tyrone.html?gaa |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911100028/http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2008/0816/dublin_tyrone.html?gaa |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-09-11 |title=Dublin 1-08 Tyrone 3-14 |access-date=2008-09-23 |date=2008-08-16 |publisher=[[Raidió Teilifís Éireann|RTÉ Sport]] }}</ref> He received a third All Star that year.

In September 2011, Dooher retired from inter-county football after 16 years.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2011/0923/tyrone_dooher.html?gaa |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217195210/http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2011/0923/tyrone_dooher.html?gaa |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-02-17 |title=Dooher calls time on Tyrone career |access-date=2011-09-24 |date=2011-09-23 |publisher=[[Raidió Teilifís Éireann|RTÉ Sport]] }}</ref>

===School / college===
Dooher won the [[Sigerson Cup]] with [[UCD GAA|University College Dublin]] in 1996.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.ucd.ie/news/sept05/championship.htm | title = UCD grad hoists Sam in Tyrone's epic victory over the Kingdom | access-date=2007-03-06}}</ref>

===International Rules===
Dooher represented [[Ireland international rules football team|Ireland]] in the [[International Rules Series]].

===Province===
Dooher played for [[Ulster GAA|Ulster]] in the [[Railway Cup]].

===Managerial career===
Dooher, with [[Feargal Logan]] and later [[Peter Canavan]], was part of the Tyrone under-21 management team when they won the All-Ireland in 2015, defeating Tipperary in the final. In November 2020, Dooher and Logan were appointed co-managers of the Tyrone senior team, succeeding Mickey Harte. Dooher and Logan stepped down from the role in August 2024 following a disappointing season where they were beaten by Donegal in the semi-finals of the Ulster Championship and their campaign came to a close with defeat to Roscommon at the preliminary quarter-final stage of the All-Ireland.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110711070340/http://www.gaainfo.com/players/football/tyrone/Brian%20Dooher.php  Brian Dooher's match by match profile]
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090507093225/http://www.cul4kidz.com/culstarsfball_dooher.htm cul4kidz profile]}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060630151124/http://tyrone.gaa.ie/ Official Tyrone Website]

{{s-start}}
{{succession box
 | before=[[Dara Ó Cinnéide]]<br/>([[Kerry county football team|Kerry]])
 | title=[[List of All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winning captains|All-Ireland Senior Football]]<br/>winning [[Captain (Gaelic games)|captain]]
 | years=2005
 | after=[[Declan O'Sullivan]]<br/>([[Kerry county football team|Kerry]])
}}
{{succession box
 | before=[[Declan O'Sullivan]]<br/>([[Kerry county football team|Kerry]])
 | title=[[List of All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winning captains|All-Ireland Senior Football]]<br/>winning [[Captain (Gaelic games)|captain]]
 | years=2008
 | after=[[Darran O'Sullivan]]<br/>([[Kerry county football team|Kerry]])
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Navboxes
|title=Tyrone squads
|bg=white
|fg=#E00000
|list1=
{{Tyrone Football Team 2003}}
{{Tyrone Football Team 2005}}
{{Tyrone Football Team 2008}}
{{Tyrone Football Team 2021}}
}}
{{2005 Ireland international rules football team}}
{{Navboxes
|title=Awards
|bg=gold
|fg=black
|list1=
{{2003 All Stars}}
{{2005 All Stars}}
{{2008 All Stars}}
{{Tyrone All Stars record}}
}}
{{Tyrone county football team managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dooher, Brian}}
[[Category:1975 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:All-Ireland–winning captains (football)]]
[[Category:Alumni of University College Dublin]]
[[Category:Clann na nGael (Tyrone) Gaelic footballers]]
[[Category:Gaelic football managers]]
[[Category:Irish international rules football players]]
[[Category:Irish veterinarians]]
[[Category:People educated at St Columb's College]]
[[Category:Tyrone county football team non-playing personnel]]
[[Category:Tyrone inter-county Gaelic footballers]]
[[Category:UCD Gaelic footballers]]
[[Category:Winners of three All-Ireland medals (Gaelic football)]]