Patrick McBrearty

Patrick McBrearty (born 5 August 1993) is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for Cill Chartha and the Donegal county team, which he has captained since 2023.

He is usually selected in the full-forward line for his county, often flanking Michael Murphy with Colm McFadden (before Murphy and McFadden's retirements, in, respectively, 2022 and 2016). In 2015, Pat Spillane included McBrearty in his top 40 footballers in the game today.

Among other accolades, he has one All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title (2012), five Ulster Senior Football Championship titles (2011, 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2019) and two International Rules Series (2013, 2015). With this early success, McBrearty is believed to be "the most decorated player of his age ever to represent Donegal." He is also part of an exclusive club to have played minor and senior matches for their county on the same day. Indeed, he was the first Ulster footballer since Benny Coulter of Down to play both grades on the one afternoon — Benny is still waiting on that All-Ireland medal after Cork 2010.

A major contributor to Donegal teams since his emergence at the start of the successful Jim McGuinness managerial era, McBrearty is considered one of the finest young footballers to have arrived on the Donegal scene since Murphy. Opponents have highlighted his "ace" attacking abilities and regard him as a considerable threat. Like Murphy, McBrearty has been a live target for Australian Football League recruitment. He turns down such offers as he wishes to further his education in Ireland and to spend time with his family. A 2015 survey — conducted among U.S. women with little or no knowledge of Gaelic games — ranked McBrearty as the seventh sexiest GAA player, second in Ulster and top in Donegal.