The 42

FORMER DERRY MANAGER Rory Gallagher has stated he will take legal action unless GAA President Jarlath Burns withdraws his communication to Naas GAA over their proposal to appoint Gallagher as coach.

The four-in-a-row Kildare senior football champions were poised last weekend to appoint Gallagher, yet by lunchtime on Monday, they had reconsidered their position.

GAA President Burns intervened in an email to Naas, while “an extraordinary volume” of emails were also sent to the club secretary from the membership of the Kildare club.

In May 2023, Gallagher stepped down as Derry manager in the wake of domestic abuse allegations made by his estranged wife, Nicola Gallagher. The Police Service of Northern Ireland investigated the allegations, and forwarded two files to Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in 2022, but no charges were brought.

In a statement in May 2023, the PPS said: “It was determined that there was insufficient evidence to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction for any offence in relation to any individual.”

Gallagher denies the allegations against him, and in a statement issued today to The Irish Independent, described the GAA President’s actions as “unprecedented” and “an effort to sabotage my potential appointment”.

GAA President Jarlath Burns. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

The former Donegal, Fermanagh and Derry boss has now asked that Burns communication “is formally withdrawn and the contents of the correspondence is retracted”.

If there is no retraction, Gallagher states he will “take legal action to cure the irreparable damage done to me and my family”.

Written by The 42 and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.