Born in Brooklyn and raised in Limerick, McCourt appeared in several films and soap operas, including The Molly Maguires, Brewster's Millions (1985), and Another World.

[1] McCourt acted on stage, on television and in several movies, including The Molly Maguires (1970), The Brink's Job (1978), Q (1982), Brewster's Millions (1985), Tales from the Darkside (1985), The January Man (1989), Beyond the Pale (2000), Ash Wednesday (2002) and Gods and Generals (2003).

[7] He is also known for his annual Christmas-time appearances on All My Children as Father Clarence, a priest who shows up to give inspirational advice to Pine Valley citizens.

[8][9] In 1970, McCourt released a spoken word album on vinyl, And the Children Toll the Passing of the Day, which was produced by David Hess.

[16] McCourt wrote three memoirs, A Monk Swimming, Death Need Not be Fatal, and Singing My Him Song, all of which detail respectively his life in Ireland and his later return to the United States.

[8] He also authored a book on the history of the ballad "Danny Boy", and put together a collection of Irish writings, called Voices of Ireland.

Running under the slogan "Don't waste your vote, give it to me", McCourt promised to recall the New York National Guard from Iraq, to make public education free through college, and to institute a statewide comprehensive "sickness care" system.