Setanta College is a distance learning college, with a focus on sports courses. It offers internationally accredited undergraduate qualifications, ranging from Higher Certificate to Master's degree. The college is primarily web-based, but also offers campus-based courses in conjunction with LIT Tipperary in Ireland and University of South Wales in Wales. The college has been popular among top-level and professional sporting individuals.
Setanta College was founded by Dr. Liam Hennessy BA, MSc, PhD,FRAMI, a former international Pole Vault competitor and record holder. Dr. Hennessy is an Exercise Physiologist and Strength and conditioning coach who is also published in scientific journals and has worked with some of the top athletes and sports teams in the world, including leading European soccer club teams in Italy, and Germany, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), the Irish Olympic Team, Tipperary GAA, and as Fitness coach to three time major golfer Pádraig Harrington. Through his own work, Dr. Hennessy noticed a need for better qualified experts in the area of Strength & Conditioning, and for that reason, he designed a course that would concentrate on this area of expertise.
Setanta College has designed and operates/ facilitates courses for the Irish National Teachers' Organisation and the International Rugby Board. For the INTO Setanta College offers a summer course filled with fun co-operative mini games for the 8–12-year-old "PE at the heart of an Integrated Curriculum". The Setanta College facilitated IRB Strength & Conditioning Level 1 course, is offered worldwide to Rugby coaches and Trainers online.
Gaelic Players Association (GPA)
Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO)
LIT Tipperary
International Rugby Board (IRB)
Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU)
Irish Rugby Union Players Association (IRUPA)
Irish Amateur Weightlifting Association (IAWLA)
Titleist Performance Institute (TPI)
The Irish Institute of Sport, a subsidiary of the Irish Sports Council, the state agency for sports development.
Saracens F.C.
Pádraig Harrington – Ambassador of the college
Football Association of Ireland
Irish Wheelchair Association-Sport
Graduates include:
Tommy Dunne – former Tipperary GAA hurling player and captain, All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship winner 2001.
Tommy Carr – former Dublin GAA Gaelic Football player and manager, also former football manager of Roscommon GAA and Cavan GAA.
Mick Dempsey – former Laois GAA footballer and current member of management team for the all-conquering Kilkenny GAA hurling team.
Declan Meehan – Former Galway GAA Gaelic Footballer, winner of 2 All-Ireland Senior Football Championships and 2 GAA GPA All Stars Awards.
Johnny O'Connor – Irish International and Connacht Rugby player. Also previously played with London Wasps
Nicholas Walsh – Former Cavan GAA Gaelic Footballer and Melbourne Football Club Australian rules football player. Current coach of Greater Western Sydney Giants AFL team
Gavin Duffy – Irish International and Connacht Rugby Rugby Union player. Also previously played with Harlequins.
Joe Gamble - Former Reading F.C. and Republic of Ireland international Soccer player.
Liam Kearns – Former Limerick GAA and Laois GAA Gaelic Football manager
Gavin O'Mahony – Limerick GAA Hurler.
Derek Lyng – Kilkenny GAA Hurler and winner of 6 All-Irelands and 2 All-star award, current member of management team for Kilkenny GAA hurling team.
BJ Botha - Munster Rugby and South Africa rugby player. Previously Ulster Rugby and Sharks. 2007 Rugby World Cup winner
Aaron Dundon - Leinster Rugby player
Marcus Horan - Former Munster Rugby and Irish International rugby union player.
Charlie Hodgson - Saracens F.C., England and British and Irish Lions rugby player. Previously Sale Sharks
Michael Clegg - Former Manchester United F.C. player and current Sunderland A.F.C. coach
Gillian Ryan – Irish Triathlete
Enda Gormley – Former Derry GAA footballer, All-Ireland winner and 2 time All-star award recipient.
Denis Leamy – Former Munster Rugby and Irish International rugby union player.
Alan Quinlan – Former Munster Rugby and Irish International rugby union player.
Robert Heffernan – Olympics race walker and current 50k World Champion
Darren Hudson - Bristol Rugby player, previously Leinster Rugby
James Coughlan - Pau rugby player, previously Munster Rugby
Ian Keatley - Munster Rugby and Irish Rugby player. Previously Connacht Rugby and Leinster Rugby
Eoghan Grace - Irish 7s international rugby player
Mark McCrea - Ireland A international rugby player
Louis Ludik - Ulster Rugby player. Previously Agen, Lions and Sharks
Cian Bohane - Munster Rugby player
Chris Ashton - Saracens F.C. rugby player and Dual-code rugby international for England Rugby League and England Rugby Union. Previously Wigan Warriors and Northampton Saints
Aaron Jarvis - Ospreys and Wales rugby player. Previously Bath Rugby
Sam Warburton - Cardiff Blues, Wales and British and Irish Lions rugby player
Brian Doherty - Irish international and Royal Beerschot (Belgium) professional Field hockey player.
Max Sorensen - Irish international and The Hills C.C. cricket player.
