RG at arms length

[Hand of God]

These are allegations against Gallagher. If there is a feeling that these allegations are credible then there is no way an individual like that should be involved in the GAA.

I think some people have lost sight of what he actually stands accused of. What's in those allegations is utterly monstrous.

- Repeated beatings and hospitalisations
- Pulling a woman through the street by the hair
- Multiples fractures
- Throwing a pregnant woman down the stairs
- Gouging a woman's ribcage
- Strangling

These are allegations made in public by his wife, one of which was corroborated publicly by the wife of a former Fermanagh footballer. I struggle to see how anyone can argue Gallagher's case when the allegations seem credible.

Most of the commentary at the time when the story broke seemed to be that this had been a well known secret for years.

The GAA are a organisation with their own remit, I don't think they can tolerate a character with that cloud hanging over him.

[nrico2006]

Anyone else remember the late gaaboard poster whose father was stabbed to death by someone who went on to chair a GAA club?

Yes. ardmhachaabu.
He and his family challenged the GAA club about that and got nowhere.
The GAA club no longer exists.

What was the club?

[nrico2006]

The allegations could be true, but could just as likely be false. People here seem to forget how much hatred there is between men and women, boys and girls, when they break up. We have all known someone who has had utter hatred towards an ex, and saw plenty of cases where they would do anything to hurt or damage the other person.

[Hand of God]

The allegations could be true, but could just as likely be false. People here seem to forget how much hatred there is between men and women, boys and girls, when they break up. We have all known someone who has had utter hatred towards an ex, and saw plenty of cases where they would do anything to hurt or damage the other person.

No wonder we have such an issue with domestic violence up north.

Does the wife of his former Fermanagh teammate who recalls one of the allegations and has gone on public record saying so also hold that resentment?

[nrico2006]

The allegations could be true, but could just as likely be false. People here seem to forget how much hatred there is between men and women, boys and girls, when they break up. We have all known someone who has had utter hatred towards an ex, and saw plenty of cases where they would do anything to hurt or damage the other person.

No wonder we have such an issue with domestic violence up north.

Does the wife of his former Fermanagh teammate who recalls one of the allegations and has gone on public record saying so also hold that resentment?

Depends on her credibility. She has been labelled as the wife of his former teammate consistently, which insinuates that she should be more credible as she is from 'his' side, whereas in truth she could be one of her friends.

[David McKeown]

My position is that I think Burns intervening in this process came to the right outcome - regardless of due process or whatever protocols might be needed. That for me is something going down the line.


What Gallagher has been accused for me is monstrous and there is no extenuating circumstance for those actions he has been accused of as it was sustained over a long number of years. There are only the extreme scale as far as active GAA members go. Only he and his wife will know the full story but the people who seem willing to give him the benefit of the doubt look to be hiding behind technicalities. The allegations are there, they will never go away and due to the commentary around it seem very well supported and credible.

I don't think Burns comes out badly of it, I think the clubs and counties still courting him with all this in the public domain come out horribly. It's a place Burns should never have needed to intervene but these clubs put him in that spot.

What technicalities are people hiding behind?

He hasn't been convicted so the allegations should hold no weight.

The exact same thing applies in the Mason Greenwood case. Some clubs won't touch him and rightly so, others do and shame on them.

An acquittal should hold little weight but we aren't just dealing with an acquittal.

We are dealing with a case that was, as I understand investigated by the Guards and twice by the PSNI. All three investigations after looking at all the evidence recommended no prosecution and didn't even think to charge RG which is a very low threshold. From there the PPS, who in my experience would be overly cautious and would almost always err on the side of prosecuting in domestic abuse cases decided not once but four times (twice on consideration of initial files and twice on review) not to prosecute. That added to the determination of the family court are all factors that have to be taken into consideration.

These aren't technicalities and whilst none are determinative of the matter, particularly as we aren't privy to the reasons for each, they are relevant factors that ought to be taken into account.

Certainly wouldn't be letting whether the police have decided not to charge him or not have any bearing on what you think of the whole thing. They wouldn't exactly be known for competency, look at the whole Johnathan Cresswell situation for starters.

Again in isolation I don't disagree. But it's part of a series factors that all need considered.

The point though I'm making is that some are dismissing these factors as "technicalities". When in fact it's the dismissals of them as factors that are the technicalities. I go back to what I said at the outset I've no idea whether RG did what is alleged at all I just think we have to factor everything in which is why I would have recommended to the association to conduct a procedurally fact finding hearing once the criminal investigation had been concluded. Would that have been perfect? Absolutely not but it would have been much preferable to what has happened here.

[Milltown Row2]

These are allegations against Gallagher. If there is a feeling that these allegations are credible then there is no way an individual like that should be involved in the GAA.

I think some people have lost sight of what he actually stands accused of. What's in those allegations is utterly monstrous.

- Repeated beatings and hospitalisations
- Pulling a woman through the street by the hair
- Multiples fractures
- Throwing a pregnant woman down the stairs
- Gouging a woman's ribcage
- Strangling

These are allegations made in public by his wife, one of which was corroborated publicly by the wife of a former Fermanagh footballer. I struggle to see how anyone can argue Gallagher's case when the allegations seem credible.

Most of the commentary at the time when the story broke seemed to be that this had been a well known secret for years.

The GAA are a organisation with their own remit, I don't think they can tolerate a character with that cloud hanging over him.

This is the problem with social media, and I'm not for one second saying this didn't happen, but what is stopping anyone, including yourself from putting up a post on social media and making claims of some sort against a person you have fallen out with?

Nothing

But the topic here isn't what may or may not have happened (as we, not one person on this site, was a witnesses to that) its how Burns has decided to act in this, as David has said, surely with that testimony given, they would have gathered enough evidence to at the very least charge. They didn't but Burnsy has read the evidence and handed out his own justice in this.

Domestic violence happens everywhere btw, there is not a family that hasn't experienced a sister/brother father mother who hasn't seen. Some of it goes on hidden and nothing said for years after. It's the courts that have to  do this..

So if we are clear, its not about supporting RG it's about understanding the mechanism used by Croke Park

[David McKeown]

These are allegations against Gallagher. If there is a feeling that these allegations are credible then there is no way an individual like that should be involved in the GAA.

I think some people have lost sight of what he actually stands accused of. What's in those allegations is utterly monstrous.

- Repeated beatings and hospitalisations
- Pulling a woman through the street by the hair
- Multiples fractures
- Throwing a pregnant woman down the stairs
- Gouging a woman's ribcage
- Strangling

These are allegations made in public by his wife, one of which was corroborated publicly by the wife of a former Fermanagh footballer. I struggle to see how anyone can argue Gallagher's case when the allegations seem credible.

Most of the commentary at the time when the story broke seemed to be that this had been a well known secret for years.

The GAA are a organisation with their own remit, I don't think they can tolerate a character with that cloud hanging over him.

A very relevant factor in the whole thing. However it must be tempered with the fact that RG could arguably make the point that either this witness refused to provide evidence to any of the multiple investigations or she did provide the evidence and either it didn't stand up to scrutiny or she didn't stand up to scrutiny. RG would be entitled to say these claims were obviously false because all of these bodies considered them they investigated and spoke to others, they examined medical records etc and still didn't charge or prosecute me.

Again for the avoidance of doubt I am not suggesting that these claims were false. I am simply pointing out the danger of relying on them without considering the counterpoint or giving the accused a fair opportunity to address same.

[Hand of God]

The allegations could be true, but could just as likely be false. People here seem to forget how much hatred there is between men and women, boys and girls, when they break up. We have all known someone who has had utter hatred towards an ex, and saw plenty of cases where they would do anything to hurt or damage the other person.

No wonder we have such an issue with domestic violence up north.

Does the wife of his former Fermanagh teammate who recalls one of the allegations and has gone on public record saying so also hold that resentment?

Depends on her credibility. She has been labelled as the wife of his former teammate consistently, which insinuates that she should be more credible as she is from 'his' side, whereas in truth she could be one of her friends.

Why would she not be credible? Do you know something about her that would make her not credible? You don't seem to find women credible for some bizarre reason. We have a serious problem with domestic violence in the north and attitudes like this maybe give an indication why.

[Hand of God]

These are allegations against Gallagher. If there is a feeling that these allegations are credible then there is no way an individual like that should be involved in the GAA.

I think some people have lost sight of what he actually stands accused of. What's in those allegations is utterly monstrous.

- Repeated beatings and hospitalisations
- Pulling a woman through the street by the hair
- Multiples fractures
- Throwing a pregnant woman down the stairs
- Gouging a woman's ribcage
- Strangling

These are allegations made in public by his wife, one of which was corroborated publicly by the wife of a former Fermanagh footballer. I struggle to see how anyone can argue Gallagher's case when the allegations seem credible.

Most of the commentary at the time when the story broke seemed to be that this had been a well known secret for years.

The GAA are a organisation with their own remit, I don't think they can tolerate a character with that cloud hanging over him.

This is the problem with social media, and I'm not for one second saying this didn't happen, but what is stopping anyone, including yourself from putting up a post on social media and making claims of some sort against a person you have fallen out with?

Nothing

But the topic here isn't what may or may not have happened (as we, not one person on this site, was a witnesses to that) its how Burns has decided to act in this, as David has said, surely with that testimony given, they would have gathered enough evidence to at the very least charge. They didn't but Burnsy has read the evidence and handed out his own justice in this.

Domestic violence happens everywhere btw, there is not a family that hasn't experienced a sister/brother father mother who hasn't seen. Some of it goes on hidden and nothing said for years after. It's the courts that have to  do this..

So if we are clear, its not about supporting RG it's about understanding the mechanism used by Croke Park

This isn't anonymous. She went to the press and spoke to a national newspaper on it. There are names an no anonymity to these allegations. Why is you don't trust her story

It's not about the courts, you are absolutely right about that. What I am perplexed on your position is that you have read those allegations and don't seem to have an issue with that individual being involved in the GAA. Protocols are clearly lacking but Burns had to intervene when clubs across the country were throwing themselves at a guy with those allegations hanging over him.

[Hand of God]

These are allegations against Gallagher. If there is a feeling that these allegations are credible then there is no way an individual like that should be involved in the GAA.

I think some people have lost sight of what he actually stands accused of. What's in those allegations is utterly monstrous.

- Repeated beatings and hospitalisations
- Pulling a woman through the street by the hair
- Multiples fractures
- Throwing a pregnant woman down the stairs
- Gouging a woman's ribcage
- Strangling

These are allegations made in public by his wife, one of which was corroborated publicly by the wife of a former Fermanagh footballer. I struggle to see how anyone can argue Gallagher's case when the allegations seem credible.

Most of the commentary at the time when the story broke seemed to be that this had been a well known secret for years.

The GAA are a organisation with their own remit, I don't think they can tolerate a character with that cloud hanging over him.

A very relevant factor in the whole thing. However it must be tempered with the fact that RG could arguably make the point that either this witness refused to provide evidence to any of the multiple investigations or she did provide the evidence and either it didn't stand up to scrutiny or she didn't stand up to scrutiny. RG would be entitled to say these claims were obviously false because all of these bodies considered them they investigated and spoke to others, they examined medical records etc and still didn't charge or prosecute me.

Again for the avoidance of doubt I am not suggesting that these claims were false. I am simply pointing out the danger of relying on them without considering the counterpoint or giving the accused a fair opportunity to address same.

Rory Gallagher can say that and he use court convictions etc as examples of it but as someone pointed out the Jonathan Cresswell shows us all how the courts and police consistently fail victims of domestic violence.

The real issue is that Burns was in a position where he either did nothing and allow Gallagher continue to work an earn a crush through the GAA with these allegations and the horrific nature of them very much in focus or he chose to intervene.

He should never have been in that position but a number of clubs have acted disgracefully in pursuing Gallagher with full knowledge of these allegations.

[nrico2006]

The allegations could be true, but could just as likely be false. People here seem to forget how much hatred there is between men and women, boys and girls, when they break up. We have all known someone who has had utter hatred towards an ex, and saw plenty of cases where they would do anything to hurt or damage the other person.

No wonder we have such an issue with domestic violence up north.

Does the wife of his former Fermanagh teammate who recalls one of the allegations and has gone on public record saying so also hold that resentment?

Depends on her credibility. She has been labelled as the wife of his former teammate consistently, which insinuates that she should be more credible as she is from 'his' side, whereas in truth she could be one of her friends.

Why would she not be credible? Do you know something about her that would make her not credible? You don't seem to find women credible for some bizarre reason. We have a serious problem with domestic violence in the north and attitudes like this maybe give an indication why.

The credib

The allegations could be true, but could just as likely be false. People here seem to forget how much hatred there is between men and women, boys and girls, when they break up. We have all known someone who has had utter hatred towards an ex, and saw plenty of cases where they would do anything to hurt or damage the other person.

No wonder we have such an issue with domestic violence up north.

Does the wife of his former Fermanagh teammate who recalls one of the allegations and has gone on public record saying so also hold that resentment?

Depends on her credibility. She has been labelled as the wife of his former teammate consistently, which insinuates that she should be more credible as she is from 'his' side, whereas in truth she could be one of her friends.

Why would she not be credible? Do you know something about her that would make her not credible? You don't seem to find women credible for some bizarre reason. We have a serious problem with domestic violence in the north and attitudes like this maybe give an indication why.

Where have I said I don't find women credible? The credibility of any witness needs to be established, and in this instance we dont know the specifics of the relationships involved.

[Milltown Row2]

These are allegations against Gallagher. If there is a feeling that these allegations are credible then there is no way an individual like that should be involved in the GAA.

I think some people have lost sight of what he actually stands accused of. What's in those allegations is utterly monstrous.

- Repeated beatings and hospitalisations
- Pulling a woman through the street by the hair
- Multiples fractures
- Throwing a pregnant woman down the stairs
- Gouging a woman's ribcage
- Strangling

These are allegations made in public by his wife, one of which was corroborated publicly by the wife of a former Fermanagh footballer. I struggle to see how anyone can argue Gallagher's case when the allegations seem credible.

Most of the commentary at the time when the story broke seemed to be that this had been a well known secret for years.

The GAA are a organisation with their own remit, I don't think they can tolerate a character with that cloud hanging over him.

This is the problem with social media, and I'm not for one second saying this didn't happen, but what is stopping anyone, including yourself from putting up a post on social media and making claims of some sort against a person you have fallen out with?

Nothing

But the topic here isn't what may or may not have happened (as we, not one person on this site, was a witnesses to that) its how Burns has decided to act in this, as David has said, surely with that testimony given, they would have gathered enough evidence to at the very least charge. They didn't but Burnsy has read the evidence and handed out his own justice in this.

Domestic violence happens everywhere btw, there is not a family that hasn't experienced a sister/brother father mother who hasn't seen. Some of it goes on hidden and nothing said for years after. It's the courts that have to  do this..

So if we are clear, its not about supporting RG it's about understanding the mechanism used by Croke Park

This isn't anonymous. She went to the press and spoke to a national newspaper on it. There are names an no anonymity to these allegations. Why is you don't trust her story

It's not about the courts, you are absolutely right about that. What I am perplexed on your position is that you have read those allegations and don't seem to have an issue with that individual being involved in the GAA. Protocols are clearly lacking but Burns had to intervene when clubs across the country were throwing themselves at a guy wth those allegations hanging over him.

Please show me where I have I don't trust her story, please show me where I've said that if these stories are true that RG should still be involved and tell me where I've said this was an anonymous post?

Bonkers man! You make some shit up

[Rossfan]

Maybe time to lock this.

[general_lee]

I might be a bit biased because I've a close female relative suffer abuse without ever getting any form of justice, she just has to try live with what happened and her abuser is still out there probably posing the same risk to other women.

It takes a lot of bravery to come out publicly with such allegations - I am somewhat in disbelief that people are happy to disregard them so flagrantly especially ones which in part have been corroborated by witnesses.

Not only is the victim's credibility questioned but so is that of the witnesses. As someone already mentioned the case of Katie Simpson, I was actually listening to a podcast about it this morning on the way to work and the failings of numerous agencies in that case makes it all the more diabolical that people are so happy to give RG a bye ball because there was no prosecution.