Charlie Harris

Charlie Harris was the first coach of the Irish Free State (now the Republic if Ireland) football team and guided them to the quarter-final at the 1924 Paris Olympics. A top-class long-distance athlete in his younger days, Harris was an Irish record holder at 4- and 10-miles, and in 1911 beat the American-based Irish runner John Daly, the 1904 Olympic steeplechase silver medallist, who had crossed the Atlantic specially for the event.

After training a local Gaelic football team, Haris became trainer of Bohemians FC and remained with the club until retiring through ill-health in 1949. He guided the “Bohs” to the FAI League title five times between 1924-36, and also won the FAI Cup in 1924 and 1935.

Before he managed the Irish Free State, Harris was selected by the Irish Football Association in Belfast to take charge of the Ireland team to play France at Parc des Princes, Paris in 1921. He also coached representative League of Ireland sides. Just a few months before Harris’ death, Matt Busby brought his Manchester United team to play a Benefit match for Harris in front of a packed house at Dalymount Park, Dublin.