London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 30, 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
UK and Vietnam Sign Landmark Migration Deal to Fast-Track Returns of Irregular Arrivals
UK Drug-Pricing Overhaul Essential for Life-Sciences Ambition, Says GSK Chief
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Temporarily Leave the UK Amid Their Parents’ Royal Fallout
UK Weighs Early End to Oil and Gas Windfall Tax as Reeves Seeks Investment Commitments
UK Retail Inflation Slows as Shop Prices Fall for First Time Since Spring
Next Raises Full-Year Profit Guidance After Strong Third-Quarter Performance
Reform UK’s Lee Anderson Admits to 'Gaming' Benefits System While Advocating Crackdown
United States and South Korea Conclude Major Trade Accord Worth $350 Billion
Hurricane Melissa Strikes Cuba After Devastating Jamaica With Record Winds
Vice President Vance to Headline Turning Point USA Campus Event at Ole Miss
U.S. Targets Maritime Narco-Routes While Border Pressure to Mexico Remains Limited
Bill Gates at 70: “I Have a Real Fear of Artificial Intelligence – and Also Regret”
Elon Musk Unveils Grokipedia: An AI-Driven Alternative to Wikipedia
Saudi Arabia Unveils Vision for First-Ever "Sky Stadium" Suspended Over Desert Floor
Amazon Announces 14 000 Corporate Job Cuts as AI Investment Accelerates
UK Shop Prices Fall for First Time Since March, Food Leads the Decline
London Stock Exchange Group ADR (LNSTY) Earns Zacks Rank #1 Upgrade on Rising Earnings Outlook
Soap legend Tony Adams, long-time star of Crossroads, dies at 84
Rachel Reeves Signals Tax Increases Ahead of November Budget Amid £20-50 Billion Fiscal Gap
NatWest Past Gains of 314% Spotlight Opportunity — But Some Key Risks Remain
UK Launches ‘Golden Age’ of Nuclear with £38 Billion Sizewell C Approval
UK Announces £1.08 Billion Budget for Offshore Wind Auction to Boost 2030 Capacity
UK Seeks Steel Alliance with EU and US to Counter China’s Over-Capacity
UK Struggles to Balance China as Both Strategic Threat and Valued Trading Partner
Argentina’s Markets Surge as Milei’s Party Secures Major Win
British Journalist Sami Hamdi Detained by U.S. Authorities After Visa Revocation Amid Israel-Gaza Commentary
King Charles Unveils UK’s First LGBT+ Armed Forces Memorial at National Memorial Arboretum
At ninety-two and re-elected: Paul Biya secures eighth term in Cameroon amid unrest
Racist Incidents Against UK Nurses Surge by 55%
UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves Cites Shared Concerns With Trump Administration as Foundation for Early US-UK Trade Deal
Essentra plc: A Closer Look at a UK ‘Penny Stock’ Opportunity Amid Market Weakness
U.S. and China Near Deal to Avert Rare-Earth Export Controls Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit
Justin time: Justin Herbert Shields Madison Beer with Impressive Reflex at Lakers Game
Russia’s President Putin Declares Burevestnik Nuclear Cruise Missile Ready for Deployment
Giuffre’s Memoir Alleges Maxwell Claimed Sexual Act with Clooney
House Republicans Move to Strip NYC Mayoral Front-Runner Zohran Mamdani of U.S. Citizenship
Record-High Spoiled Ballots Signal Voter Discontent in Ireland’s 2025 Presidential Election
Philippines’ Taal Volcano Erupts Overnight with 2.4 km Ash Plume
Albania’s Virtual AI 'Minister' Diella Set to 'Birth' Eighty-Three Digital Assistants for MPs
Tesla Unveils Vision for Optimus V3 as ‘Biggest Product of All Time’, Including Surgical Capabilities
Francis Ford Coppola Auctions Luxury Watches After Self-Financed Film Flop
Convicted Sex Offender Mistakenly Freed by UK Prison Service Arrested in London
United States and China Begin Constructive Trade Negotiations Ahead of Trump–Xi Summit
U.S. Treasury Sanctions Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro over Drug-Trafficking Allegations
Miss USA Crowns Nebraska’s Audrey Eckert Amid Leadership Overhaul
‘I Am Not Done’: Kamala Harris Signals Possible 2028 White House Run
NBA Faces Integrity Crisis After Mass Arrests in Gambling Scandal
Swift Heist at the Louvre Sees Eight French Crown Jewels Stolen in Under Seven Minutes
U.S. Halts Trade Talks with Canada After Ontario Ad Using Reagan Voice Triggers Diplomatic Fallout
Microsoft AI CEO: ‘We’re making an AI that you can trust your kids to use’ — but can Microsoft rebuild its own trust before fixing the industry’s?
×