Colm McFadden

McFadden's club have not had much success at senior level. They reached the final of the 2011 Donegal Senior Football Championship— their first ever senior final—but lost, though McFadden scored three points including one free.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/murphy-is-the-star-as-glenswilly-triumph-1.612893|title=Murphy is the star as Glenswilly triumph|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=2 October 2011|access-date=20 September 2012}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/murphy-magic-proves-key-as-glenswilly-secure-first-donegal-crown-26777905.html|title=Murphy magic proves key as Glenswilly secure first Donegal crown|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=3 October 2011|access-date=3 October 2011}}

Previously, in 2004, they reached the final of All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship, in which McFadden played but was held scoreless.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/easy-in-the-end-for-ilen-26010045.html|title=Easy in the end for Ilen|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=26 April 2004}}

McFadden's father was a coach at the club.

McFadden's father and older brother played football and encouraged his own interest. McFadden is left-footed (i.e. ciotóg). He played at older age grades from early on. He was a county player by under-16. Himself and Christy Toye, who was in his class at primary school and would later play alongside him many times for Donegal, played in (and won) the Ted Webb under-16 tournament, the same year they were part of the minor team. McFadden also played under-21 for his county while still playing as a minor. While at Galway, the then Donegal manager Mickey Moran noticed him. As well as being at university, McFadden was at this time in his third year at minor, leading Moran to assume McFadden was older.{{cite news|first=Ronan|last=Scott|url=https://gaeliclife.com/counties/donegal/donegal-county-football/donegal-legend-mcfadden-recalls-impact-made-by-jim-mcguinness/|title=Donegal legend McFadden recalls impact made by Jim McGuinness|work=Gaelic Life|date=19 March 2020|access-date=19 March 2020}} Also published as "Colm Rain or Shine" in the Donegal News of the same date, 19 March 2020: pp 50–53. McFadden sat on the bench for a Donegal game in Tuam and did not play. After this, Moran approached McFadden and advised him to concentrate on playing with the minor team, telling him that he would be interested in reviewing McFadden's progress the following year.

{{quote box|width=30%|align=right|quote="I only had him for a year. Moran was one of the coaches that I would have loved to have been coached by when I was older and more mature to appreciate the training he was doing. The training that he was doing was very good. It was all game-based".|source=– McFadden on Moran}}

Moran called McFadden into the senior squad the following year. His first start for Donegal came against Westmeath in Mullingar. McFadden later expressed regret at only experiencing Moran for one year as the manager soon left the role. It fell to Moran's successor Brian McEniff to give McFadden his first championship start.

McFadden made his senior championship debut for Donegal in 2002. That year, Donegal drew against Dublin by a scoreline of 0–14 to 2–8 in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-final held on August Bank Holiday Monday, Dublin eventually winning the replay. He started the first game of Brian McEniff's last spell as Donegal manager, a league defeat to Galway in Tuam in February 2003, during which he scored two points.{{cite news|first=Keith|last=Duggan|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/meehan-adds-spark-to-galway-attack-1.347556|title=Meehan adds spark to Galway attack|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=3 February 2003}} In the 2003 Championship, Donegal defeated Galway, the All-Ireland champions of two years previous, in the All-Ireland quarter-final replay at McHale Park in Castlebar. That victory qualified them for a semi-final against reigning All-Ireland Senior Football Champions Armagh, whom Donegal led with 14 men (after Raymond Sweeney was harshly sent off for a second yellow card) until a last minute penalty from Oisín McConville led to Donegal losing the game by a scoreline of 2–10 to 1–9. McFadden made a late substitute appearance for Brendan Devenney in that 2003 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final against Armagh.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/armaghs-double-still-alive-25928845.html|title=Armagh's double still alive|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=1 September 2003}} A pivotal game in McFadden's development occurred in the 2004 Championship, when McFadden scored 1–7 against Tyrone in Donegal's Ulster semi-final victory. Tyrone were the reigning All-Ireland champions and the Irish Examiner reported: "The new golden boy of Gaelic football, Colm McFadden, torpedoed the All-Ireland champions with a magical display of finishing".{{cite news|first=Chris|last=McNulty|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2019/06/05/watch-flashback-to-2004-when-donegal-torpedoed-tyrone/|title=Flashback to 2004, when Donegal 'torpedoed' Tyrone|date=5 June 2019|access-date=5 June 2019}} But Donegal did not do so well against Armagh in the final at Croke Park.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2004/0711/183489-armagh/|title=Awesome Armagh destroy Donegal|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=11 July 2004|access-date=11 July 2004|quote=A foul on Devenney four minutes later allowed Colm McFadden, the star of the show against Tyrone but decidedly out of sorts today, to land his side's first score of the game from a relatively simple free.}} And so ended the high points of McFadden's early inter-county career.{{cite news|first=Alan|last=Foley|url=http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/sport/local-sport/forward-thinking-mcfadden-1-4247035|title=Forward thinking McFadden|work=Donegal Democrat|date=11 September 2012|access-date=11 September 2012|archive-date=29 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329214914/http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/sport/soccer/forward-thinking-mcfadden-1-4247035|url-status=dead}} He missed the 2006 Championship due to his studies in Liverpool, and a perceived lack of fitness on his part.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/return-of-the-prodigals-26266649.html|title=Return of the prodigals|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=20 April 2007|access-date=20 April 2007|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130218010153/http://www.independent.ie/sport/return-of-the-prodigals-44516.html|archive-date=18 February 2013}}

McFadden would return to play a vital part in the Donegal team that won their first National Football League title in 2007.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/donegal-claim-the-spoils-1.1300269|title=Donegal claim the spoils|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=22 April 2007|access-date=22 April 2007}} He scored three points in the final against Mayo.{{cite news|url=http://www.donegaltimes.com/2007/04_2/sport.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412230842/http://www.donegaltimes.com/2007/04_2/sport.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 April 2015|title=Donegal achieve historic win — First national league title comes to county after victory over Mayo|work=Donegal Times|date=25 April 2007|access-date=25 April 2007}} Donegal then defeated Armagh in the first round of the Ulster Senior Football Championship, only to lose to Tyrone in the next fixture.

In 2009, to McFadden's surprise, Donegal advanced to the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-finals, defeating 2001 champions Galway along the way. McFadden later suggested the arrival of Michael Murphy may have assisted.

McFadden was asked by Donegal County Board officials to receive a presentation on his 100th inter-county appearance, a presentation the player thought inappropriate in light of a bruising defeat in the Ulster Senior Football Championship during which he had been replaced by Adrian Hanlon, of all people. RTÉ's television cameras caught McFadden grinning ironically at the timing of such a request — but all irony was lost in the scramble to condemn the player's attitude. McFadden considered retiring amid all the furore, the misunderstanding, the calls for his head.

2011 brought the dawning of the Jim McGuinness managerial era, the most successful in the county's history. McFadden won his first Ulster title, scoring four points (including two frees) in the final against Derry.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2011/0717/derry_donegal.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719145639/http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2011/0717/derry_donegal.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 July 2011|title=Donegal 1–11 Derry 0–08|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=17 July 2011|access-date=17 July 2011}}{{cite news|url=http://gaeliclife.com/2014/05/derry-donegal-have-had-hoodoo-over-us-okane/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304222536/http://gaeliclife.com/2014/05/derry-donegal-have-had-hoodoo-over-us-okane/|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 March 2016|title=Derry: 'Donegal have had hoodoo over us' — O'Kane|work=Gaelic Life|date=23 May 2014|access-date=23 May 2014|quote=The gap between the sides proved wider still when they met in the 2011 Ulster final, when Donegal, under the guidance of Jim McGuinness captured only their first Ulster title since 1992.}} Donegal progressed to an All-Ireland semi-final that year.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2011/0730/donegal_kildare.html|title=Donegal 1–12 Kildare 0–14 (aet)|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=30 July 2011|access-date=30 July 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329212207/http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2011/0730/282996-donegal_kildare/|archive-date=29 March 2015 }}

2012 would prove to be McFadden's most successful season for Donegal.{{cite news|first=Colm|last=Keys|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/donegal-eyes-on-the-big-prize-26884087.html|title=Donegal eyes on the big prize: McFadden twists knife as curtain falls on illustrious Kingdom era|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=6 August 2012|access-date=6 August 2012|quote=The polish of McFadden's finishing was the last critical element as he added to what had already been his best-ever season in a long Donegal career.}} In helping Donegal to back-to-back Ulster titles in 2011–2012, McFadden became the first Donegal footballer to twice finish top scorer in the Ulster Championship.{{cite news|url=http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/sport/local-sport/colm-hoping-to-have-the-last-laugh-1-4200672|title=Colm hoping to have the last laugh|work=Donegal Democrat|date=24 August 2012|access-date=27 August 2012}} He scored six points in the final against Down.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/northern-ireland/18912731|title=Ulster Senior Football Final: Donegal 2–18 0–13 Down|publisher=BBC Sport|date=22 July 2012|access-date=22 July 2012}} He scored an unusual goal in the seventh minute of Donegal's All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-final defeat of Kerry at Croke Park, later describing it as "fortunate".{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2012/0806/332221-donegals-colm-mcfadden-targets-all-ireland-final/|title=Colm McFadden wants Donegal to go one step further in 2012|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=6 August 2012|access-date=6 August 2012}} He was also involved in the semi-final victory over Cork.{{cite news|first=Liam|last=Porter|url=https://donegalnews.com/2012/08/all-in-the-preparation-for-mcfadden/|title=All in the preparation for McFadden|work=Donegal News|date=25 August 2012|access-date=25 August 2012}} Then he scored Donegal's second goal of the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final. Patrick McBrearty's attempt at scoring a point came crashing off the Mayo post after eleven minutes of the game, and Mayo's Kevin Keane fumbled, dropping the ball into the path of Colm McFadden who promptly slotted it into the back of the net.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2012/0923/338702-live-all-ireland-football-finals/|title=Live updates from the All-Ireland finals at Croke Park|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=23 September 2012|access-date=23 September 2012}}{{cite news|first=Frank|last=Roche|url=https://www.herald.ie/opinion/columnists/frank-roche/dazzling-donegals-day-28848641.html|title=Dazzling Donegal's day|newspaper=Evening Herald|date=24 September 2012|access-date=24 September 2012|quote=You could argue that what happened then spooked Keane eight minutes later: as Paddy McBrearty's attempted point rebounded off an upright, the Mayo No 2 was in pole position to clear the danger but, one disastrous fumble later, McFadden had the ball in his hands and then the ball in the net.|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121209022307/http://www.herald.ie/opinion/columnists/frank-roche/dazzling-donegals-day-3239806.html|archive-date=9 December 2012}} His goal helped Donegal win the Sam Maguire Cup and was part of a total of 1–4 (including three frees) which McFadden scored during the game.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2012/0923/338732-donegal-beat-mayo-to-end-wait-for-sam/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329174043/http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2012/0923/338732-donegal-beat-mayo-to-end-wait-for-sam/|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 March 2015|title=Donegal 2–11 Mayo 0–13|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=23 September 2012|access-date=23 September 2012}} McFadden later added an All Star and was named 2012 Ulster GAA Player of the Year.{{cite news|first=Chris|last=McNulty|url=https://donegalnews.com/2012/09/mcfadden-is-ulster-player-of-the-year-as-donegal-sweep-the-boards/|title=McFadden is Ulster Player of the Year|work=Donegal News|date=10 September 2012|access-date=22 July 2014}} However, he was unable to attend the Football Tour of New York.{{cite news|first=Chris|last=McNulty|url=https://donegalnews.com/2012/11/replacement-all-star-for-thompson/|title=Replacement All-Star for Thompson|work=Donegal News|date=13 November 2012|access-date=13 November 2012|archive-date=10 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130810155919/http://donegalnews.com/2012/11/replacement-all-star-for-thompson/|url-status=dead}} He was shortlisted for All Stars Footballer of the Year, but the award went to team-mate Karl Lacey.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/northern-ireland/20110089|title=Donegal's Karl Lacey is named Gaelic Footballer of 2012|publisher=BBC Sport|date=27 October 2012|access-date=27 October 2012}}

McFadden made his 51st championship appearance against Derry in the Ulster quarter-final on 25 May 2014, a team record which had until then been held by Michael Hegarty.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/home-fires-still-burn-bright-for-mcfadden-30370077.html|title=Home fires still burn bright for McFadden|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=20 June 2014|access-date=20 June 2014}} McFadden's appearance in the 2014 Ulster final against Monaghan was his 152nd overall for Donegal, second only to Brian Roper's 159, and McFadden won his third and final Ulster SFC at the end.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/gaelic-games/28391307|title=Donegal beat Monaghan in provincial decider|publisher=BBC Sport|date=20 July 2014|access-date=24 July 2014}} He scored four points (all frees) in that final.{{cite news|url=https://www.the42.ie/donegal-monaghan-ulster-final-2014-2-1581038-Jul2014/|title=Donegal reverse 2013 result to claim Ulster football title|publisher=The42.ie|date=20 July 2014|access-date=20 July 2014}}

{{expand section|date=February 2020}}

On 6 August 2016, McFadden announced he would be retiring from playing with Donegal following his team's exit from the 2016 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship against Dublin.{{cite news|first=John|last=Fogarty|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/colm-mcfadden-walks-and-may-be-first-of-many-to-exit-big-stage-414675.html|title=Colm McFadden walks and may be first of many to exit big stage|work=Irish Examiner|date=8 August 2016|access-date=8 August 2016}} He had made a late substitute appearance in that game, at Croke Park.{{cite news|first=Dermot|last=Crowe|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/stuttering-dubs-show-their-fallibility-34944597.html|title=Stuttering Dubs show their fallibility|work=Sunday Independent|date=7 August 2016|access-date=7 August 2016|quote=McHugh's goal and then Connolly's sending off changed the complexion of the match but it remained an uphill battle for Donegal. Some of their old guard — Colm McFadden was a late substitute — may have seen their last day in Croke Park.}} He retired with a total of 173 appearances for Donegal.{{cite news|first=Peter|last=Branigan|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2019/0324/1038307-murphy-masterclass-fires-donegal-back-to-top-flight/|title=Murphy masterclass fires Donegal back to top flight|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=24 March 2019|access-date=24 March 2019|quote=Neil McGee was introduced to equal the Donegal appearances record of Colm McFadden on 173.}} 64 of those appearances were in the championship, and he scored a county record 25–434.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2016/0807/807474-record-scorer-mcfadden-calls-time-on-donegal/|title=Record scorer McFadden calls time on Donegal career|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=7 August 2016|access-date=7 August 2016}} Or 438.

In November 2022, it was announced that McFadden would be forwards coach of the Sligo senior footballers, under the management of Tony McEntee{{cite news|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41009285.html|title=Donegal legend Colm McFadden joins Tony McEntee's Sligo set-up: The former All-star will take up the forwards coach role|work=Irish Examiner|first=John|last=Fogarty|date=17 November 2022}} from January 2023.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/2022/11/17/colm-mcfadden-joins-up-with-sligo-as-forwards-coach/|title=Colm McFadden joins up with Sligo as forwards coach: Donegal All-Ireland winner will join Tony McEntee's coaching team in January|newspaper=The Irish Times|first=Seán|last=Moran|date=17 November 2022}}

In August 2023, McFadden was confirmed as being on the backroom team of Jim McGuinness, as McGuinness began his second spell as manager of the Donegal senior team.{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2023/0821/1400768-donegal-confirm-return-of-jim-mcguinness-as-manager/|title=Donegal confirm return of Jim McGuinness as manager|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=21 August 2023|access-date=21 August 2023}}

McFadden was educated at St Eunan's College in Letterkenny.{{cite web|url=http://www.sainteunans.com/|title=Twitter feed|publisher=St Eunan's College|quote=EunansFootball Best of luck 2our past pupils who r in Donegal panel v Cork in All Ire Semi-Final on Sun @neilgerardgalla @murphm95 @AntoinMcFadden @Tommyk_91 @BrickMolloy @123kav @kevin_raff @gmacfadden14 @mdboyler24 +Mr McFadden #TheCollege}} In 2000, he was part of the team that won the school's third McLarnon Cup, the first win since 1979.{{cite web|url=http://www.sainteunans.com/gaamaclarnon.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061024213626/http://www.sainteunans.com/gaamaclarnon.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 October 2006|title=GAA MacLarnon|publisher=St Eunan's College|date=24 October 2006}} That 2000 final victory over St Columb's of Derry at Casement Park has been described as "arguably the match that catapulted him to people's attention outside of Donegal". He scored a late goal to give the college victory by a scoreline of 1–11 to 1–9, 1–8 of which McFadden scored himself. While completing his Leaving Certificate, McFadden was part of the under-17 Ireland international rules football team. His words of advice also helped the college to reclaim the McLarnon Cup in 2007, and to go on to compete in the All-Ireland "B" Colleges Final, which they subsequently lost.

Soon McFadden was off to the University of Galway, where he studied Financial Maths and Economics. There he won the All-Ireland Freshers and, two years after that, the Sigerson Cup, with the final held at Cork's Páirc Uí Rinn. He took his Postgraduate Certificate in Education at Liverpool Hope University, discussing football with a fellow teacher (and semi-professional footballer with a Conference team – name forgotten) during teaching practice at St Catherine's in Edge Hill.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/meehan-too-hot-for-ucd-26229329.html|title=Meehan too hot for UCD|work=Sunday Independent|date=9 March 2003|quote=Inspired by Galway football's rising star Michael Meehan, NUI Galway won their first… Sigerson Cup championship since 1992 when they edged out UCD in yesterday's final at Páirc Uí Rinn… NUIG drew level five minutes later when Galway prodigy Michael Meehan landed a well executed free from wide on the right… followed by a wonderful equaliser from lively NUIG corner-forward Colm McFadden… Colm McFadden struck a sweet point after just 15 seconds and Brendan Colleran reduced the deficit to the minimum a minute later.}}

McFadden began working as a teacher at his old secondary school, St Eunan's College, where the success of the 2012 Donegal team lifted the spirits of staff, including mathematical whiz Edward Harvey — seen on RTÉ with an enormous grin on his face at the end of the semi-final against Cork. McFadden told the Irish Examiner, "Eddie Harvey said to me last year when he was in the leisure centre, he'd pop into the jacuzzi and everyone would be talking doom and gloom and the recession. Last summer and this year too, he said he could go in there and all anyone would talk about was football. It's great to hear".{{cite news|first=Brendan|last=O'Brien|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/mcbrearty-grounded-but-daring-to-dream-205349.html|title=Memories of '92 rekindled|work=Irish Examiner|date=25 August 2012|access-date=25 August 2012}}

McFadden has also managed the school team.{{cite news|url=http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/sport/local-sport/st-eunan-s-through-to-semi-final-1-4785506#.URvzITJy_do.blogger|title=St. Eunan's through to semi-final|work=Donegal Democrat|date=13 February 2013|access-date=13 February 2013|quote=Colm McFadden's side defeated St Patrick's College from Keady at the Mid-Ulster Sports Arena's 4G pitch in Cookstown yesterday}} He was appointed as deputy principal of St Eunan's College in 2019.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/SaintEunans/status/1166069830157590529|title=Meet our new Senior Management Team|date=26 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190922184015/https://twitter.com/SaintEunans/status/1166069830157590529|archive-date=22 September 2019}}

McFadden's brother-in-law is his former Donegal teammate and manager, Jim McGuinness. He married Levina Wilkie. Their daughter Maisie was born in April 2012. Their son Matthew was born in June 2013.{{cite news|url=http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/sport/local-sport/memorable-week-for-mcfadden-1-5216944|title=Memorable week for McFadden|work=Donegal Democrat|date=24 June 2013|access-date=24 June 2013}}

McFadden is 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) and weighs 14 st 3 lb (90 kg).{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

McFadden has a brother who is eight years older than him. Another brother, Antoin, is also involved in sport. Antoin is seven years younger than Colm.

;Donegal

• All-Ireland Senior Football Championship: 2012
• Ulster Senior Football Championship: 2011, 2012, 2014
• National Football League Division 1: 2007

;St Michael's

• All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship runner-up: 2004
• Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championship: 2003
• Donegal Intermediate Football Championship: 2003

;Individual

• All Star: 2012{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}
• Nominated in 2011,{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2011/1004/285620-allstarnominations/|title=All-Star football nominees are named|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=4 October 2011|access-date=4 October 2011}} 2013{{cite news|first=Fintan|last=O'Toole|url=https://www.the42.ie/2013-gaa-football-allstars-1112784-Oct2013/|title=12 Dublin players nominated for 2013 GAA/GPA football Allstars: Mayo, Monaghan, Kerry, Tyrone, Cavan, Cork, London, Galway, Meath and Donegal also have players nominated|publisher=The42.ie|date=4 October 2013|access-date=4 October 2013}}
• Irish News Ulster Player of the Year: 2012
• The Sunday Game Team of the Year: 2012{{cite news|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2012/09/23/donegal-team-clean-up-on-sunday-game-team-of-the-year/|title=Donegal team clean up on Sunday Game Team of the Year|date=23 September 2012|access-date=23 September 2012}}
• Ulster GAA Writers Monthly Merit Award: June 2004{{cite news|first=Colm|last=Keys|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/ulster-final-sells-out-croker-25905338.html|title=Ulster final sells out Croker|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=8 July 2004}}
• Ulster GAA Writers Association (UGAAWA) Footballer of the Year: 2012{{cite news|first=Chris|last=McNulty|url=https://donegalnews.com/2012/12/donegal-take-the-top-writers-awards/|title=Donegal take the top writers' awards|work=Donegal News|date=12 December 2012|access-date=12 December 2012|quote=Sharp-shooting Colm McFadden was named as the Player of the Year...}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20130527064202/http://www.donegalgaa.ie/playerProfile/2694/colm_mc_fadden Official profile]
• [https://archive.today/20130123204056/http://www.gaainfo.com/players/football/donegal/Colm%20McFadden.php Colm McFadden] at gaainfo.com

{{Donegal Football Team}}

{{Navboxes

|title=Donegal squads

|bg=#FCF75E

|fg=green

|bordercolor=green

|list1=

{{Donegal Football Team 2007}}

{{Donegal Football Team 2011}}

{{Donegal Football Team 2012}}

{{Donegal Football Team 2014}}

}}

{{2012 All Stars}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McFadden, Colm}}

Category:1983 births

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of the University of Galway

Category:Alumni of Liverpool Hope University

Category:Donegal county football team

Category:Donegal inter-county Gaelic footballers

Category:Gaelic football coaches

Category:Gaelic football forwards

Category:Irish schoolteachers

Category:Mathematics educators

Category:People educated at St Eunan's College

Category:St Michael's (Donegal) Gaelic footballers

Category:Sligo county football team

Category:Sportspeople from Letterkenny

Category:University of Galway Gaelic footballers

Category:Winners of one All-Ireland medal (Gaelic football)