Corrigan, Coyle, Kennedy and MacCormack Solicitors have had a long association with the Monaghan County Board. Here, partner Paul MacCormack outlines the firm's close links to the local GAA scene. Corrigan, Coyle, Kennedy and MacCormack Solicitors in Castleblayney this year celebrated their centenary. Over the past 100 years, the firm has provided a professional legal service to the people of Castleblayney and much further afield. The thriving practice is synonymous with the GAA through its work for the Monaghan county board and the involvement of partner Paul MacCormack and veteran law clerk Liam McGrath with the local club scene. "We're very proud of our GAA links," says Paul, who joined the firm in 1986. "We have acted on behalf of the Monaghan county board for the past 20 years and continue to have an excellent relationship with them. My own family has strong GAA connections and Liam McGrath is one of the best known GAA personalities in Monaghan. He's Mr. Castleblayney Faughs." Established by John F. Smyth (former county registrar) and later taken over by Jack Corrigan, the practice was run for many years by his nephew Cyril Coyle, whose son Peter is one of the present-day partners. The third partner is Sean Kennedy, who has been with the firm since the 1970s. Linda Smyth, Ballybay will join the firm's team of solicitors in January at their York Street offices. Corrigan, Coyle, Kennedy and MacCormack Solicitors is a highly-regarded firm specialising in all areas of law, including conveyancing (residential and commercial), probate, personal injury claims and litigation. Eighty-two-year-old Liam McGrath has been with the firm since he was 16 and is reputed to be the longest serving PAYE worker in the country! Paul served his legal apprenticeship with Reddy, Charlton and McKnight, who are the main solicitors to the GAA. John McKnight was an outstanding footballer with Armagh during the 1950s, and in 1984 was named at left corner back on the GAA Centenary Team which comprised players who had never won an All-Ireland senior championship medal. MacCormack played for Castleblayney Faughs at every level and also represented Monaghan in the minor and under 21 grades. He won county and Ulster club championship medals in 1986 after finishing on the losing side in three previous county finals. "We lost county finals to Scotstown in 1979, '80 and '81 before eventually winning one in '86. We went on to beat Burren of Down in the Ulster final, but lost the All-Ireland semi-final to St. Finbarr's from Cork after a replay," he recalls. "My twin brother Barry and Kieran also played for Faughs and after I finished playing, I did a one-year stint as club secretary." Paul's family background is steeped in the GAA. His father Macartan won MacRory Cup medals with St. Macartan's College in 1940 and '42, and was just 16 when he played at midfield on the Monaghan minor team which won the Ulster championship in 1940. He started his club football career with Blackhill and subsequently played for UCD - with whom he won two Sigerson Cup medals - Clane in Co. Kildare, Castleblayney and Clontibret. A teacher by profession, Macartan played senior football with Monaghan for a number of years and his fondest memory is of drawing with Cavan in the first round of the 1947 Ulster championship at Breffni Park. Cavan won the replay at Clones by two points and went on to beat Kerry in the All-Ireland final at the Polo Grounds in New York. During this period, Monaghan won various McKenna, Lagan and O'Dwyer Cups, but never succeeded in the championship. Macartan also played senior football for Dublin and Kildare, and lined out for the Combined Universities against Kerry in 1948 when he marked the legendary Paddy 'Bawn' Brosnan. Mac later served on the Monaghan county board and was the county's delegate to the Ulster Council. He also served as treasurer of the Ulster Council for a number of years. Mac was son of Patrick J MacCormack, who was a former secretary of the Monaghan county board, and had four brothers, Fr Enda, Sean, Finbarr and Aidan. While attending St. Macartan's, Fr Enda - who began his club career with Doohamlet before joining his four brothers on the Blackhill team - was selected on the Ulster Colleges inter-provincial team and in a game against Munster, marked the former Taoiseach Jack Lynch. He also played with Castleblayney Faughs. Fr Enda's inter-county career was cut short following his ordination in 1943 because of the controversial rule which prevented members of the clergy from playing at that level. He did, however, win an Ulster championship medal in 1938 at the age of 19, lining out at corner forward. He subsequently played in the All-Ireland semi-final which Monaghan lost to Galway at Mullingar, a game which is remembered for being Michael O'Hehir's first live broadcast. Fr Enda enjoyed considerable success as trainer of the St. Macartan's team, and after leading Monaghan to victory in the 1956 All-Ireland junior final, he managed the county senior team for many years. Fr Enda won thet Monaghan Hall of Fame award in 1984 and Macartan equalled this feat in 1995. Sean, Finbarr and Aidan were also talented footballers with Blackhill. Sean also played for UCD and represented the county at minor and senior level on many occasions. Finbarr played in the 1939 All-Ireland minor football final which Monaghan lost to Roscommon. He also played junior county football for a number of years. Liam McGrath is recognised as the most successful manager in the history of Monaghan club football. A former county player, he managed Castleblayney for over 25 years, during which time they won a whopping 12 senior football championships. He also had a lengthy spell as club chairman. Incidentally, his father Willie was the first chairman of Castleblayney Faughs. At the recent Castleblayney Centenary dinner dance, Liam was honoured with the Clubman of the Centenary award. An avid supporter of the Monaghan county team, Paul was delighted with their progress this year under new manager Seamus McEnaney. A bizarre injury-time goal from a Paul Finlay free gave the resurgent Farneymen a dramatic 3-13 to 3-12 victory over Meath in the National League Division 2 final on May 1 last, and the scenes afterwards were reminiscent of those which follow an All-Ireland victory. "I was up in Croke Park at that match with my eldest son Mark and it was truly a marvellous place to be if you were a Monaghan supporter. It was a great performance from the team and to beat Meath in those circumstances was something else," he says. "It's been a very good year for Monaghan football and it was encouraging to see the team having a decent run in the championship after the euphoria of winning the league. It says a lot for how much they've improved that it took a great Tyrone team to stop them in the end. "All Monaghan fans are looking forward to seeing the team play in Division 1 next year against the best teams in the country. They will gain a lot of experience from playing at that level and hopefully they will be in a position to challenge for an Ulster championship in two or three years' time. If Monaghan were playing in any other province, they would have a much better chance of success," he concludes. Tweet

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