Rory Gallagher has called on GAA president Jarlath Burns to retract his action last weekend; when contacting Naas GAA to advice caution against Gallagher's appointment as a coach to the club's senior football team.
In a statement to the Irish Independent, former Derry coach Gallagher calls for the intervention to be “formally withdrawn and that the contents of the correspondence (are) retracted”.
Gallagher said he would be left with no alternative but to pursue legal action if that didn't happen. 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."
Gallagher stepped back from his role as Derry manager in May 2023 following serious allegations regarding his private life.
Gallagher managed Derry and Fermanagh
In a social media posting, Gallagher's former wife Nicola claimed she had been the victim of domestic violence over a period of years during their marriage.
Gallagher stated that any allegations against him had been investigated and no charges were brought.
The former Derry manager was set to join the Naas GAA club senior football management backroom team. However, by Monday, Naas conducted a U-turn and confirmed Gallager would not be joining the backroom team.
The Irish independent reported Burns had been in contact with the Naas club on Sunday; prior to the club executive meeting later that night where the decision was taken not to press ahead with the appointment of the former Fermanagh footballer.
In his statement Gallagher said he had; seen the email yesterday and said the GAA president had engaged in an “unprecedented move in an effort to sabotage my potential appointment”.
Gallagher also suggested that Burns’ contact with Naas wasn't the first such intervention of this nature he has made.
