Brendan Hackett

Brendan Hackett (born c.1960)[1] is a Gaelic football manager, sports psychologist and former chief executive officer of Athletics Ireland, who is currently managing Ballymun Kickhams. He previously managed the Longford, Offaly and Westmeath county teams during the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He has also trained the Ireland international rules football team and worked with numerous county teams as a psychologist during the 21st century.

Brendan Hackett
Personal information
Irish nameBreandán Ó hAicéad
Born1960/1
OccupationSports psychologist
Inter-county management
Years Team
1987–1990
1990–1992
2009–2010		 Longford
Offaly
Westmeath

Career

Hackett's first management role was Limerick's Thomond College at the age of 20 (1981–1983).[1] As manager of Leixlip (1983–1985), one of his players was Jack O'Shea.[1]

Hackett managed Longford's senior footballers between 1987 and 1990,[2] taking the role at the age of 26.[1][3] Longford made the 1988 Leinster Senior Football Championship semi-finals and also two quarter-finals of the National Football League.[1] He trained Ireland for the 1990 International Rules Series.[1][3] He managed Offaly's senior footballers between 1990 and 1992.[1][3]

The GAA gave him a postgraduate scholarship in 1992, which Hackett used to obtain an MA in Sports Psychology from the University of Limerick.[1] He coached middle-distance runners Noel Cullen and James Nolan.[4] He also worked as a sports psychologist with Team Ireland's boxers and sailors at the 2004 Summer Olympics.[4] He also had involvement with other Irish Olympic teams.[1] He worked as a psychologist with Roscommon (2001), Sligo (2002), Fermanagh (2003), Limerick (2004), Monaghan (2006) and Wexford (2007).[1] In the midst of this, Hackett was chief executive officer of Athletics Ireland from October 2005 until his resignation in January 2008.[5][6]

Westmeath GAA, searching for a manager after the resignation of Tomás Ó Flatharta, appointed Hackett as senior and under-21 football manager in September 2009, with the choice of someone who had not managed at that level for many years seen as unexpected.[7][8] Hackett included Michael Carruth as a masseur and Eoin Rheinisch as part of "physical preparations" on his backroom team.[9] Westmeath embarked on a second successive league campaign without winning a game and were relegated to Division 3 of the National Football League.[10] Hackett resigned in April 2010.[3][11] He did not contest a single championship match.[8]

Hackett later managed the Kildare minor football team, where his players included the actor Paul Mescal.[12][13] He then assisted the Down senior football team as a psychologist.[14]

As the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in 2020, Hackett was managing the Ballymun Kickhams footballers.[15][16] He led that club to the 2020 Dublin Senior Football Championship.[17]

In 2022, still managing Ballymun, Hackett was reported to have been interviewed for the Monaghan senior football team's managerial vacancy that arose following Séamus McEnaney's departure.[18]

Personal life

Hackett is originally from Monaghan.[7] He is a member of the Donore Harriers athletics club in Dublin.[4]

References
  1. O'Riordan, Ian (9 September 2009). "Hackett is surprise choice for Westmeath". The Irish Times.
  2. "Past Longford Managers". Longford Gaelic Stats.
  3. "Westmeath manager Hackett steps down". The Irish Times. 17 April 2010.
  4. "Hackett appointed Irish athletics chief". Irish Examiner. 18 October 2005.
  5. "Brendan Hackett to step down as Athletics Ireland CEO". Athletics Ireland. 15 January 2008.
  6. "Athletics Ireland boss to stand down". Irish Examiner. 15 January 2008.
  7. "Hackett surprise choice in Westmeath". Irish Examiner. 9 September 2009.
  8. "Hackett in shock exit". Independent.ie. 15 April 2010.
  9. "Carruth and Rheinisch boost Westmeath". Irish Independent. 16 October 2009.
  10. "Hackett resigns as Westmeath manager". Irish Examiner. 17 April 2010.
  11. "Brendan Hackett quits Westmeath". RTÉ. 17 April 2010.
  12. "Former Kildare boss Cian O'Neill got a glimpse of Paul Mescal's acting talent". Irish Examiner. 14 May 2020.
  13. "More Leinster minor glory for Kildare as they enjoy 11-point victory over Laois". The42.ie. 17 July 2016. Brendan Hackett's Kildare have retained their Electric Ireland Leinster minor football championship crown.
  14. "Turley hails Hackett impact". Hogan Stand. 23 June 2017.
  15. "'2020 will be remembered as the hardest championship that there's been in Dublin'". Hogan Stand. 15 September 2020.
  16. "'2020 will be remembered as the hardest championship that there's been in Dublin'". The42.ie. 14 September 2020.
  17. "Ballymun Kickhams cruise to Dublin SFC victory over Ballyboden". RTÉ. 27 September 2020.
  18. McKeon, Conor (28 August 2022). "Ger Brennan lined up to become new Monaghan senior football manager". Irish Independent. Ballymun Kickhams manager, Brendan Hackett and outgoing Monaghan minor boss Mark Counihan were also reportedly interviewed.
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