A native of Moylough, Colleran's Gaelic football prowess was first noticed on the national stage in 1960 when he won an All-Ireland Minor Championship medal with Galway and a Hogan Cup medal with St Jarlath's College. Having made his Galway senior debut in 1961, he went on to play in four successive All-Ireland senior finals between 1963 and 1966, winning the latter three against Kerry (twice) and Meath.[1] Colleran also picked up two Sigerson Cup medals with University College Galway and became only the fourth Connacht man to captain his province to Railway Cup success when they beat Ulster in the 1967 final.[2]
A brief spell as a rugby union player with Corinthians was followed by Colleran taking over as manager of the Galway senior team, winning a Connacht Championship title in 1976. His next high-profile engagement was as an analyst on The Sunday Game. Colleran was also named on the Team of the Century and Team of the Millennium.[3]
Personal life and death
Colleran worked as a secondary school teacher at St Enda's College in Salthill. He died suddenly at his home in Barna, County Galway on 8 April 2004.[4]