The GAA knew about allegations of domestic abuse made against Rory Gallagher and “did nothing”, his ex-wife Nicola has said.
Mr Gallagher stepped back as Derry senior football manager on Friday following a social media post in which his former wife said she had been violently abused by him for more than two decades.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) carried out an investigation into allegations of domestic abuse against Mr Gallagher but a decision was made not to prosecute.
Two investigation files were sent to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in January and June 2022 but prosecutors decided there was “insufficient evidence to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction.”
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Responding to Ms Gallagher’s Facebook post in a statement last week, Mr Gallagher said “allegations against me have been investigated and dealt with by the relevant authorities.”
In an interview with the Sunday Independent, Ms Gallagher said “the GAA knew about all of this, one hundred per cent, and the county boards of Fermanagh and Derry knew – because we told them.
“There were senior members of the GAA who knew what was going on, there are incidents that took place at GAA events. It was a well-known fact.”
In a statement released on Monday, Fermanagh GAA said that “while we will not make any comment on specific allegation or allegations, we can state that Fermanagh GAA has never received any official complaints.”
Sources who have spoken to The Irish Times have said the allegations were “common knowledge” in parts of the north west.
Derry GAA has not responded to requests from The Irish Times for comment. In a statement on Thursday, it said it “condemns all forms of domestic violence.
“We encourage anyone who has experienced domestic violence to report it to the relevant authorities immediately,” it said.
In a statement also released last week, the provincial secretary and CEO of Ulster GAA Brian McAvoy said: “While we cannot comment or make judgement on any specific allegation or allegations, Ulster GAA does not condone any form of domestic violence.
“We encourage and support anyone who has been a victim of such abuse not to suffer in silence but to avail of the statutory and voluntary support services that are available in the community.”
One of the GAA’s most high-profile managers, Mr Gallagher steered Derry to an Ulster football title and the All-Ireland semi-final last year.
Ciaran Meenagh will manage the team for the Ulster Final against Armagh in Clones on Sunday.
