GAA president Jarlath Burns has condemned a campaign of online abuse and intimidation directed at Mayo GAA officials.

Burns along with GAA director-general Tom Ryan attended a special meeting of club delegates in Westport on Monday night where Mayo GAA outlined the nature of the threatening and abusive email correspondence that its officers continue to receive from a small group of individuals. Described as “an adult safeguarding issue”, the threats have prompted the county board to report the matter to An Garda Síochána, while they also intend seeking legal advice.

Addressing delegates, Burns said: “Mayo is a proud county with incredible GAA pedigree. It’s a county that is respected by the entire GAA family across the island of Ireland. But without unity there can be no progression.

"The GAA has a duty of care to the officers in every club and county, not only under adult safeguarding policies, but also to promote and value the selfless work of the volunteers that make our association what it is.

“This is what we are doing here tonight in Westport. I’ve been very concerned about the threats, intimidation and toxic activity that has been directed against the officers of Mayo county board, which is bound to have a negative impact on all aspects of the administration of Mayo GAA. It’s now time for this to stop.”

Mayo GAA chairman Seamus Tuohy added: “The officers of the board have been subjected to an ongoing campaign of abuse, intimidation and threats that has been going on for years now. But we’re no longer going to sit back and allow this type of behaviour to continue.

“Fundamentally, this is an adult safeguarding issue – something we take extremely seriously in the GAA. There is no world in which it is acceptable to direct a campaign of harassment and abuse at individuals who volunteer their own time to serve this association.”

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