A WELL-KNOWN priest who has enjoyed a long association with Fermanagh celebrated 50 years since his ordination with a special outdoor Mass attended by almost 2,000 people last weekend.

Canon Macartan McQuaid, who is currently chaplain at both St. Michael’s College and Mount Lourdes Grammar School in Enniskillen, marked his Golden Jubilee in the priesthood with a Eucharistic Celebration at St. Mellan’s GAA Park, in his home parish of Errigal Truagh, county Monaghan, on last Sunday evening.

During his various times in Fermanagh over the last half century, Canon McQuaid served as a teacher, principal and chaplain at St. Michael’s College and also as a Parish Priest in both Irvinestown and Clones.

A passionate GAA man, he holds the unique distinction for a priest of having played for both the Monaghan and Fermanagh senior Gaelic football teams.

Ordained on June 18, 1967 in St Macartan’s Cathedral in Monaghan, Canon McQuaid was joined at last Sunday’s celebration by other priests of the Diocese of Clogher, as well as visiting priests, including some members of his class from St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth.

Members of his family and other members of the local community, as well as representatives of the parishes and schools where he ministered, also took part in the liturgy.

Speaking to the Impartial Reporter, the long-serving priest said it had been a “wonderful evening” that had started at 6pm – with a lot of the guests still there and reminiscing at 11pm!

He first came to Fermanagh in 1967 as a teacher in St. Michael’s College, where he stayed for three years.

Canon McQuaid admits that he looks back on this particular period of his life with “mixed feelings”. He said that, at the time, there was more emphasis on results in schools rather than allowing pupils to express their individuality.

The priest believes that, as a consequence, some of his students may have found him “over-demanding” or “over-severe”.

“You mellow and you change as you get older. You see that life is not just about results, but also about achieving personal well-being and contentment,” he said.

Fr Mac, as he is popularly known, was a renowned GAA player at club and county level. He played Gaelic football for Monaghan at a variety of levels, and also managed his home county’s senior team for a short time during the 1980s.

During his time in Fermanagh in the late 1960s, he signed up to play Gaelic football with Enniskillen Gaels and subsequently turned out for the Lakeland county in the Ulster Championship.

Canon McQuaid recalls playing for Fermanagh against his native county in the Championship in 1969. The teams drew the first encounter, with Monaghan narrowly winning the replay.

“I would’ve got some slagging over that, but it was all good fun,” he said.

The widely-respected clergyman later returned to serve as principal of St. Michael’s College for 16 years, starting from January 1978.

During his tenure, the school was successful in getting approval from the Department of Education for a major new £6.3 million extension.

The provision of enhanced sporting facilities was also a particular feature of his period there.

Canon McQuaid returned to Parish work in the mid-1990s. He was the Parish Priest in Irvinestown from 1997 until 1998, followed by around a decade as Parish Priest of Clones, which includes portions of both Monaghan and Fermanagh.

Then, in 2007, after a period of “poorish” health, he was advised to take life a lot easier and was appointed to his current position as chaplain of both St. Michael’s and Mount Lourdes.

“I’ve been in my role for the last 10 years.

“It’s wonderful to meet young people and not carry the baggage of authority,” he added.