St Mary's GAC Faughanvale was established in 1933. A camogie team was founded in 1946 and affiliated to the club, before folding in 1989.

The club's first major success came in 1943 when they won the North Derry Senior Football Championship, before losing to Lavey in the All-Derry Senior Championship final.

In 1975 Faughanvale won the Derry Junior Football Championship. Three years later St Mary's won the Derry Intermediate Football Championship and have won the competition a further four times since (1981, 1996, 1998, 1999).

 In 2015, for the first time in 40 years, they competed at Junior Level. In 2015 Faughanvale won a treble of Neil Carlin Cup, Division 3 League, and their second Derry Junior Championship. Faughanvale was awarded Irish News Rural Club of the Year 2005 by The Irish News.

The club purchased its current grounds in 1982, before this football was played at the O'Neill family's field on the Clooney Road. When the new pitch opened in 1983 it was named after one of the founding club members and former Chairman of the Derry County Board, John McLaughlin. In May 2007 the club began a £1.2million redevelopment of their playing facilities at John McLaughlin Park and opened the new grounds in May 2009.

In club caters for over 500 club members and is at the heart of the community of Faughanvale