McFarland was
High Sheriff of Londonderry City, 1930–1938 and 1952,
High Sheriff of County Londonderry, 1952. He served in 1918 with the
Artists Rifles, and in the
Second World War served overseas, in North Africa, Sudan, Palestine and Italy with 9th Londonderry HAA Regiment RA (SR) and was
Mentioned in Despatches when his battery (25 HAA Battery) was redeployed as infantry in the Salerno beachhead in September 1943. He was Commanding Officer of the Londonderry City Battalion of the
Home Guard, 1952–1956, Chairman of the
Territorial Army and Auxiliary Force Association (Co. Londonderry), 1947–1962, and a member of its national Council. McFarland was Hon. Colonel of 9th Londonderry HAA Regiment of the Royal Artillery (SR), Hon. Colonel of 246th (Derry) (M) HAA Regiment RA (TA)and President of the Northern Ireland TA and Volunteer Reserve Association, 1968–1971. He was a Commissioner of Irish Lights, an original member of the Northern Ireland Unemployment Assistance Board (to 1939), a Senator in the
Parliament of Northern Ireland as Mayor of Derry, 1939-1940 and 1945–1950, a member of the Northern Ireland Air Advisory Council, 1946–1965, Chairman of Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners, 1952–1967, a member of the London Midland Area Board of the British Transport Commission, 1955–1961, and a trustee of
Magee University College, Derry, 1962–1965. ==Businesses==