One meaning of the word seminary is a place in which one propagates seed. An appropriate description of the reason d'être for St. Macartan's in its role as the diocesan College of the Diocese of Clogher, however, it is also appropriate when one reflects on the role played by The Sem in the life of the GAA in Co. Monaghan.  

The GAA has played an integral part in the day to day life of St. Macartan's since 1917. Prior to that cricket and soccer were the norm until the school authorities adopted Gaelic football, handball and athletics as the official school sports in response to the changing national spirit which took place in the aftermath of the 1916 Rising.
Building on the work of so many former teachers, Bishop Liam Mac Daid, Fr. Sean Nolan, Ard Stiúrthoir C.L.G. Paraic Duffy, Vincent Lee, Fr. Brendan Mc Cague, Fr. Pat Mc Hugh, Niall Moyna and Fr. Enda Mac Cormack to name a few, St. Macartan's College makes no apology for its overt promotion of Gaelic Football, handball and in more recent years hurling in the school. The school boasts three floodlit pitches, two international 40 x 20 handball courts and two 60 x 30 Irish handball courts. Blessed also by the fact that 18 members of its staff are currently  actively involved in coaching 7 Gaelic Football teams who compete in the A section of Ulster Colleges, handball teams who compete in all ages at Colleges level from u14 to u18 and junior hurling teams.
Coiste Co. Mhuineachán in recognising the important role played by The Sem in the GAA life of the county has recently been very proactive in its support for the College. The Co. Board facilitated a review of the promotion of Gaelic Games in St. Macartan's by Coaching and Games Development Officer (Comhairle Uladh) Dr. Eugene Young which saw current St. Macartan's management, team mentors, staff, parents, current players and former players involved in a systematic evaluation of how Gaelic Football is promoted in St. Macartan's. As a result of that evaluation and further discussion at school level a number of proposals were made and implemented. The school's staff, many of whom are actively involved in player development at club and County level are co-operatively working in tandem with Coiste Co. Mhuineachán Games Development Officer Paul O'Connor and his staff in ensuring that there is an appropriate level of synchronisation between the work done at school level and at Development Squad level. At senior level there is also regular contact between David McCague and his Mac Rory Cup management team and Colin McAree and the Co. Minor management team.
GAA supporters throughout Ulster recognise and appreciate the importance of the Dalton, Corn na nÓg, Rannafast and Mac Rory Cups. Synonymous with the success of Ulster teams in the modern era, these competitions are regarded within GAA circles as pivotal in player development. Colleges' football begins in September and finishes in May and provides a significant number of young players with expert coaching and top class competitive football during the academic year. St. Macartan's College teacher and current chairperson of Coiste na gColáistí Comhairle Uladh (Ulster Colleges) Seamus Meehan, recently stated at a Colleges All Star presentation ceremony that "Colleges football is not there to eclipse the invaluable work done at club level, it's there to support this work. In fact without the support of the clubs by way of use of facilities, release of players, support for coaches etc. Colleges football would not survive." Schools he said are very appreciate of the support given by club officials and mentors and colleges know that clubs do appreciate the work done by so many schools for the development of players.
To date this year the St. Macartan's Mac Rory Cup team managed by David Mc Cague (Scotstown),  Mark Counihan (Gaeil Truagh) and Vinnie Corey (Clontibret) have secured a place in the knockout stages of the 2010 - 2011 competition and face St. Michael's Enniskillen in February. The Rannafast Cup team managed by Pascal Smyth (Rockcorry), Mark O'Connor (Castleblayney Faughs) and Enda Mc Cabe (Monaghan Harps) were controversially knocked out of their competition in a playoff match against the eventual winners of the competition Abbey CBS Newry. The 2010 - 2011 Corn na nÓg team managed by Paul West (Blackhill), Denis Boland (Portarlington) and James Greenan (Monaghan Harps) at the time of writing were preparing for a playoff against St. Partick's Academy Dungannon. The Dalton and Nannary Cup competitions for primarily First Year students will begin the spring managed by Paddy Hughes (Tyholland), Darren Duffy (Drumhowan), Brian McArdle (Tyholland) and Niall McCarville (Scotstown) while the Brock Cup team managed by Seamus Meehan (Monaghan Harps), Mark Mc Cormack (Rockcorry) and Garreth Coyle (Monaghan Harps) will begin in April.
The schools hurlers managed by Patrick Meehan (Monaghan Harps) and James Greenan (Monaghan Harps)  made significant progress in this year's McGreevy Cup by progressing to the knockout stages in a Colleges B Hurling competition for the first time in the school's history.
Handball is going through a proverbial purple patch at present at St. Macartan's. In 1971 Anthony Cadden and Liam Mc Gowan won the All Ireland doubles championships and since then success was limited to intermittent Ulster titles. Under the direction of Michael Todd (Gaeil Truagh) in 2009 not one but two All Ireland titles made their way to the school thanks to Padraig Mc Kenna (Gaeil Truagh) junior singles and Terry Mc Elvaney (Monaghan Harps) and Christopher Mc Kenna (Gaeil Truagh) at Intermediate Doubles level. Since then with the addition of Ulster, Irish and World champion Darren Doherty (Emyvale) and some new talent in junior school thanks in no small way to the work of St. Mary's Primary School teacher Martin Mc Entee of the Monaghan Harps Handball Club and Katrina Moen secretary of the Co. Monaghan Handball Board, St. Macartan's is once again a real force to be reckoned with in Colleges' handball circles.
School principal and member of the Castleblayney Faughs club Raymond Mc Hugh, makes no apology for the fact that Gaelic games play an integral part in the life of St. Macartan's College.
"The principal of Blackrock College would make no apology for the fact that his school is a rugby school so why would I understate the important role played by Gaelic Games in St. Macartan's College?"  he explained. "The school is blessed that teachers give so much time to the extracurricular life of this school, be it in the promotion of Gaelic games, athletics, soccer, golf, swimming, choir, debating, poetry aloud, drama or other aspects of the Arts and school life generally. We are also lucky that we have facilities which lend themselves to the activities we promote."
Gaelic games are inextricably linked with St. Macartan's College and seem destined to be for some time to come. Tweet

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