London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Nov 27, 2025

Derry manager’s wife says GAA knew of abuse claims

Derry manager’s wife says GAA knew of abuse claims

The estranged wife of ex-Derry senior football manager Rory Gallagher has claimed the GAA was aware of domestic abuse allegations "but did nothing".

Mr Gallagher stepped aside from his role earlier this week, following a post on social media by Nicola Gallagher.

It detailed serious allegations of domestic abuse over a 24 year period.

Ms Gallagher told the Sunday Independent her father emailed Derry management last year with the claims.

The newspaper said it had seen the email sent by Gerry Rooney on 25 May 2022.

The family said they did not receive a response to the email.

"The GAA knew about all of this, 100%, and the county boards of Fermanagh and Derry knew - because we told them," Ms Gallagher told the newspaper.

"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."

She went on to say she felt let down by "all these institutions", including the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the Public Prosecution Service (PPS).

Derry GAA said it was seeking clarification on the email Ms Gallagher said her father sent to its management.

BBC News NI has contacted the GAA and Fermanagh GAA in response to her comments in the Sunday Independent.


Ulster final


On Thursday, Mr Gallagher, who previously managed Donegal and Fermanagh, said that allegations against him had been "investigated and dealt with by the relevant authorities".

He said: "Those closest to our family are well aware of the reasons for the breakdown of our marriage and the continued issues we have faced since that time."

He was due to lead Derry into the Ulster Senior Championship Final on Sunday against Armagh.

On Friday, he stepped aside from his position.

In a statement, he said: "This decision is borne out of a desire to protect my children from the ongoing turmoil."

"They will always be my priority," he added.

Ciaran Meenagh, who took charge as Derry defeated Armagh on penalties, said after the match that it had been a "challenging week for everybody" but his main focus was on football.

On Thursday, Ulster GAA addressed the issue of domestic abuse "in light of recent events".

It said: "While we cannot comment or make judgement on any specific allegation or allegations, Ulster GAA does not condone any form of domestic violence."

In a brief statement, the Derry GAA county board said: "Derry GAA condemns all forms of domestic violence.

"We encourage anyone who had experienced domestic violence to report it to the relevant authorities immediately."

Rory Gallagher said the allegations had been investigated and dealt with by the relevant authorities


No charges after investigation


Ms Gallagher's interview criticised the PSNI for her treatment at a police station in Enniskillen after she made her initial complaint.

"I asked for a female officer and I got a male. I was already nervous enough. Then when the PPS rejected by case, I felt hopeless."

On Sunday, the PSNI said it investigated a number of reported incidents and files were submitted to the PPS.

Ch Insp Heather Campbell, from the Public Protection Branch (PPB), said police "takes all allegations of violence and harassment against women seriously and we work alongside partners to help keep all women safe".

She added that PPB has specially trained domestic abuse officers "who strive to protect victims, prosecute offenders and prevent re-offending".

The PPS has said it received two investigation files from the PSNI in January and June 2022, and that all available evidence was considered in line with the PPS code for prosecution.

It added it was determined there was insufficient evidence to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction for any offence in relation to any individual.

The PPS said the decisions not to prosecute were issued in January and September last year.

A spokesperson said on Sunday: "The PPS takes cases of domestic violence and abuse extremely seriously, and we are committed to prosecuting all such cases where the evidence allows us to do so, in strict accordance with the PPS Code for Prosecutors.

"We are aware of comments made by Mrs Gallagher in the media. We will contact Mrs Gallagher to discuss her concerns."


'I got really afraid'


In a lengthy social media post, Nicola Gallagher claimed that domestic abuse occurred before and during her marriage.

"Blocking it out was easier than admitting what was happening," she wrote.

After outlining a catalogue of alleged beatings, Ms Gallagher, who is from Belleek, County Fermanagh, concluded: "Silence nearly killed me."

Nicola Gallagher told the Sunday Independent her decision to post the allegations on social media was difficult.

"I sat for ages looking at it on my computer. I kept thinking, 'Will I do it or will I not?' What impact will this have on my children? I had a tightness in my chest, I got really afraid…and then I hit 'post.'"

Asked about what would have happened had she not posted on social media she said, "I would be dead, one hundred per cent. I needed to do it - it was my last resort."

She told the newspaper she also felt let down by the Western Health and Social Care Trust.

The Trust told BBC News NI it would not provide comment on an individual for confidentiality and privacy reasons, but added issues can be raised through its complaints system, the Patients' Advocate Office.

Ms Gallagher also alleged some of the incidents had happened in the Republic of Ireland and the gardai (Irish police) were aware.

The gardai said they would not comment on individual cases.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
European States Approve First-ever Military-Grade Surveillance Network via ESA
UK to Slash Key Pension Tax Perk, Targeting High Earners Under New Budget
UK Government Announces £150 Annual Cut to Household Energy Bills Through Levy Reforms
UK Court Hears Challenge to Ban on Palestine Action as Critics Decry Heavy-Handed Measures
Investors Rush Into UK Gilts and Sterling After Budget Eases Fiscal Concerns
UK to Raise Online Betting Taxes by £1.1 Billion Under New Budget — Firms Warn of Fallout
Lamine Yamal? The ‘Heir to Messi’ Lost to Barcelona — and the Kingdom Is in a Frenzy
Warner Music Group Drops Suit Against Suno, Launches Licensed AI-Music Deal
HP to Cut up to 6,000 Jobs Globally as It Ramps Up AI Integration
MediaWorld Sold iPad Air for €15 — Then Asked Customers to Return Them or Pay More
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer Promises ‘Full-Time’ Education for All Children as School Attendance Slips
UK Extends Sugar Tax to Sweetened Milkshakes and Lattes in 2028 Health Push
UK Government Backs £49 Billion Plan for Heathrow Third Runway and Expansion
UK Gambling Firms Report £1bn Surge in Annual Profits as Pressure Mounts for Higher Betting Taxes
UK Shares Advance Ahead of Budget as Financials and Consumer Staples Lead Gains
Domino’s UK CEO Andrew Rennie Steps Down Amid Strategic Reset
UK Economy Stalls as Reeves Faces First Budget Test
UK Economy’s Weak Start Adds Pressure on Prime Minister Starmer
UK Government Acknowledges Billionaire Exodus Amid Tax Rise Concerns
UK Budget 2025: Markets Brace as Chancellor Faces Fiscal Tightrope
UK Unveils Strategic Plan to Secure Critical Mineral Supply Chains
UK Taskforce Calls for Radical Reset of Nuclear Regulation to Cut Costs and Accelerate Build
UK Government Launches Consultation on Major Overhaul of Settlement Rules
Google Struggles to Meet AI Demand as Infrastructure, Energy and Supply-Chain Gaps Deepen
Car Parts Leader Warns Europe Faces Heavy Job Losses in ‘Darwinian’ Auto Shake-Out
Arsenal Move Six Points Clear After Eze’s Historic Hat-Trick in Derby Rout
Wealthy New Yorkers Weigh Second Homes as the ‘Mamdani Effect’ Ripples Through Luxury Markets
Families Accuse OpenAI of Enabling ‘AI-Driven Delusions’ After Multiple Suicides
UK Unveils Critical-Minerals Strategy to Break China Supply-Chain Grip
Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” Extends U.K. No. 1 Run to Five Weeks
UK VPN Sign-Ups Surge by Over 1,400 % as Age-Verification Law Takes Effect
Former MEP Nathan Gill Jailed for Over Ten Years After Taking Pro-Russia Bribes
Majority of UK Entrepreneurs Regard Government as ‘Anti-Business’, Survey Shows
UK’s Starmer and US President Trump Align as Geneva Talks Probe Ukraine Peace Plan
UK Prime Minister Signals Former Prince Andrew Should Testify to US Epstein Inquiry
Royal Navy Deploys HMS Severn to Shadow Russian Corvette and Tanker Off UK Coast
China’s Wedding Boom: Nightclubs, Mountains and a Demographic Reset
Fugees Founding Member Pras Michel Sentenced to 14 Years in High-Profile US Foreign Influence Case
WhatsApp’s Unexpected Rise Reshapes American Messaging Habits
United States: Judge Dressed Up as Elvis During Hearings – and Was Forced to Resign
Johnson Blasts ‘Incoherent’ Covid Inquiry Findings Amid Report’s Harsh Critique of His Government
Lord Rothermere Secures £500 Million Deal to Acquire Telegraph Titles
Maduro Tightens Security Measures as U.S. Strike Threat Intensifies
U.S. Envoys Deliver Ultimatum to Ukraine: Sign Peace Deal by Thursday or Risk Losing American Support
Zelenskyy Signals Progress Toward Ending the War: ‘One of the Hardest Moments in History’ (end of his business model?)
U.S. Issues Alert Declaring Venezuelan Airspace a Hazard Due to Escalating Security Conditions
The U.S. State Department Announces That Mass Migration Constitutes an Existential Threat to Western Civilization and Undermines the Stability of Key American Allies
Students Challenge AI-Driven Teaching at University of Staffordshire
Pikeville Medical Center Partners with UK’s Golisano Children’s Network to Expand Pediatric Care
Germany, France and UK Confirm Full Support for Ukraine in US-Backed Security Plan
×