About Pete McGrath
Born 1953. Pete McGrath is an Irish gaelic football player.
Peter McGrath (born 6 June 1953), from Rostrevor, County Down, is an Irish former Gaelic footballer and current manager. He managed the Down senior football team to the All-Ireland titles in 1991 and 1994.
Professional career McGrath was employed for almost thirty years as a physical education teacher at St Colman's College, Newry.
Playing career McGrath played at all grades for Rostrevor GAC, including togging out for the first team aged only 15, and represented St Colman's at all levels of schools' competition; he also played for Down Minors. McGrath captained the first Queen's University team to win the All-Ireland Freshers title by defeating UCD 2-16 to 0-6 in Dundalk in March 1973.
Management career In 1987 McGrath was in charge of the Down team that won the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship. and was at the helm when Down won the Ulster and All Ireland Senior Championships in 1991 and 1994. He managed the Ireland team in the International Rules Series in 2004 and 2005. before stepping down in October 2009.
McGrath has had spells in club management with Cooley Kickhams, An Riocht and Bryansford. He also coached the Gaelic football teams at St Colman's College, guiding them to five Hogan Cup wins between 1975 and 1998.
In October 2010, he returned to county management after being named as the Down minor manager on a three-year term, his second time in charge of the team.
He was twice manager of the Fermanagh Senior Football team and took the team to the All-Ireland quarter-final in 2015 after having gained promotion to Division Two of the National Football League for 2016.
He managed the Louth senior football team in 2018 but resigned after ten months into a two-year term following a shock Championship defeat to Leitrim.
He managed his native club St Bronaghʼs GAA in Rostrevor, for three years having taken over for the 2019 season, the club's centenary year. He remains in charge of the club's minor team.
Honours Player 1 Down Senior Football Championship 1976 1 All-Ireland Higher Education Freshers Title (QUB, 1972–73)
Manager Ireland 1 Compromise Rules Series 2004 Ulster 1 Interprovincial 2016 Down 4 Dr McKenna Cup 1989, 1992, 1996, 1998 2 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1991, 1994 2 Ulster Senior Football Championship 1991, 1994 2 Ulster Under-21 Football Championship 2008, 2009 1 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship 1987 2 Ulster Minor Football Championship 1986 1987 1 National Football League Division 3 1997 Club 1 Down Senior League Football Division 1 2007 1 Louth League Division 1 2004 1 Down Under-21 Football Championship 2012 1 Ulster U21 Championship 2013 (with Bryansford) School 4 Hogan Cup 1986, 1988, 1993, 1998 (with Ray Morgan) 6 McCrory Cup 1978, 1979, 1981,1988 1993 1998 (with Ray Morgan)
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Pete McGrath's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Pete McGrath's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Pete McGrath?
Irish Gaelic football player and manager
When was Pete McGrath born?
Pete McGrath was born on 6 June 1953 in County Down.
What is Pete McGrath's occupation?
Pete McGrath is a gaelic football player.
What nationality is Pete McGrath?
Pete McGrath is Irish.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Pete McGrath. https://biography.guide/pete-mcgrath/
MLA: "Pete McGrath." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/pete-mcgrath/.
Chicago: "Pete McGrath." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/pete-mcgrath/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:30 UTC