Hugh McFadden (born 25 January 1994) is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for Na Cealla Beaga and the Donegal county team. He can operate at midfield or full-forward.
McFadden served as Donegal's vice-captain during Michael Murphy's later career, when Murphy was absent. As a youth, McFadden played association football.
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Early life
McFadden played association football for St Catherine's. At the age of "16 or 17" he signed for League of Ireland team Finn Harps. He then signed a one-year scholarship with another League of Ireland team, Sligo Rovers, Rovers having won the 2012 League of Ireland Premier Division. According to McFadden, there was interest in him from other League of Ireland clubs too. But interest in Gaelic football was on the rise in his native county following the victorious 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final. Donegal under-21 manager Maxi Curran called McFadden, who expressed an interest in joining, and senior manager Jim McGuinness called upon him around three months afterwards. "There are no regrets there. The way Gaelic football has taken off in Donegal — I wanted to be involved", McFadden said in 2015.
Playing career
Club
McFadden reached the final of the 2013 Donegal Senior Football Championship with his club. Despite McFadden scoring a goal and pointing three frees, they lost to Glenswilly.
Inter-county
McFadden's performances for his club in that 2013 championship run drew the attention of county manager Jim McGuinness. In September 2013, McGuinness called McFadden into the senior inter-county team for winter training after McFadden scored 2–4 for his club in their 2013 Donegal Senior Football Championship quarter-final defeat of Sean Mac Cumhaills. The 2014 season was his first on the county panel. He appeared as a substitute in the 2014 National Football League. McFadden also played in the under-21 team that lost to Cavan in the 2014 Ulster final. He remained as a panel member for the championship campaign, as Donegal won the 2014 Ulster Senior Football Championship and advanced to the 2014 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final. He did not play in the final.
Following his appearance on the bench for 2014 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, McFadden (still eligible for the competition) played in the 2015 Ulster Under-21 Football Championship final loss to Tyrone, scoring five points (including four frees).
McFadden started Rory Gallagher's first match in charge of the county, a 2015 Dr McKenna Cup away defeat to Derry. He started the opening fixture of the 2015 National Football League (against Derry as well but at home on this occasion). He also started the third fixture against Cork in Ballyshannon. He started the fifth fixture against Kerry at Austin Stack Park and scored a point. He also started the sixth and seventh fixtures against Tyrone and Mayo. Donegal qualified for the NFL semi-final. McFadden also started this game.
McFadden made substitute appearances in the 2015 Ulster Senior Football Championship quarter-final against Armagh and the semi-final against Derry. He did not feature in the final. McFadden started the 2015 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship qualifier defeat of Galway at Croke Park and the next game against Mayo at the same venue.
McFadden started the opening fixture of the 2016 National Football League away to Down. He then started the second fixture against Cork, a ten-point win in Ballyshannon. He also started the third, fourth, sixth and seventh fixtures against Mayo, Kerry, Dublin and Monaghan.
McFadden started the 2016 Ulster Senior Football Championship quarter-final against Fermanagh. He did not feature in the semi-final against Monaghan, the semi-final replay against the same opposition, nor in the final against Tyrone. Nor did he feature in the 2016 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship qualifier defeat of Cork at Croke Park. Nor did he feature against reigning All-Ireland SFC champions Dublin in the next game, at the same venue.
Coaching career
In 2022, McFadden became a member of his club's management team, under Shane Molloy and Antoine O'Hara.
McFadden has also won two Cumann na mBunscols County Championships with Scoil an Linbh Íosa two consecutive seasons (1922 and 1923)
Personal life
Mr McFadden is a teacher at Scoil an Linbh Íosa, a primary school near Donegal Town.
He attended college in Dublin, beginning in his first year playing for the county team.
As of 2021, he was living in a house in Donegal Town with Eoghan Bán Gallagher.
Honours
Donegal
Ulster Senior Football Championship: 2014, 2018, 2019, 2025
National Football League Division 2: 2019, 2024
Ulster Under-21 Football Championship runner-up: 2015
Na Cealla Beaga
Donegal Senior Football Championship runner-up: 2013