The Reds have opted to wield the axe with just 10 games of the League One season remaining, ending Darrell Clarke’s tenure less than a year after it started.
He has left with Barnsley sat 10th in the table, eight points adrift of the play-offs. Barnsley have opted against hiring an immediate successor, instead putting faith in Hourihane to push the club towards the top six.
The club’s sporting director Mladen Sormaz said: "Darrell is someone I respect and have enjoyed working with and I’d like to thank him for his efforts this season.
"Whilst a list of replacements has been identified, we will take some time to ensure the next appointment is the right one with a focus on playing identity, returning to high pressing and attacking football.
"We believe that Conor can help to create enough bounce to keep us fighting for the top six until the end of the season. We will also be working in parallel to have a new head coach in place over the summer.”
The Yorkshire Post have taken a look at some of the coaches Barnsley could potentially target in the summer.
1. Potential contenders for Barnsley job
A look at some of the options Barnsley could target in the summer. Photo: Pete Norton/Getty Images
2. Michael Duff
A man who needs no introduction to the Oakwell faithful. Duff picked up the pieces at Barnsley following their relegation to League One in 2022 and took the club to the verge of promotion back to the Championship. He is back on the market after being axed by Huddersfield Town. Photo: Gareth Copley/Getty Images
3. Conor Hourihane
The former Barnsley captain is currently the club's interim head coach and is expected to be at the helm until the end of the season. He may have only been handed the reins temporarily, but the 34-year-old could use the spell as an audition. Photo: Jonathan Gawthorpe
4. Paul Warne
Warne has four League One promotions on his CV, which is hard for any club in the third tier to ignore. He was most recently employed by Derby County, who recently replaced him with John Eustace. Photo: Cameron Smith/Getty Images