Rory Gallagher Threatens Legal Action Over Jarlath Burns' Contact With Naas GAA Regarding Coaching Role

Thursday, 9 January 2025 11:56

That's according to the Irish Independent

Rory Gallagher has called on GAA President Jarlath Burns to retract his actions from last weekend, when he contacted Naas GAA to advise caution regarding Gallagher's potential appointment as a coach for the club's senior football team.

In a statement to the Irish Independent, Gallagher called for the "formal withdrawal" of the intervention and the retraction of the content of the correspondence.

He further stated that, should this not occur, he would have no choice but to pursue legal action.

In the same statement, Gallagher "categorically denied" the allegations made against him, reaffirming that two decisions by the Public Prosecution Service in Northern Ireland, following investigations into the claims, concluded that he had "no case to answer."

The allegations, which were made by his estranged wife, Nicola, were publicly posted on Facebook during the week of the 2023 Ulster football final, when Gallagher was managing the Derry team ahead of their match against Armagh.

Gallagher subsequently stood down as Derry manager and was then "temporarily debarred" by the GAA in September 2023 when an independent panel was asked to investigate claims.

The former Donegal and Fermanagh manager successfully challenged that disbarment last February, and a statement from his solicitors in September said there was no "legal impediment" to prevent him returning to a senior role in the game.

Naas announced he was joining Joe Murphy's backroom team on Sunday but on Monday said his appointment was not going ahead.