‘Ride a club’ GAA chair wants his old role back

THE GAA county chairman who resigned following Irish Mail on Sunday revelations that he sent WhatsApp messages to a referee suggesting the official would be sent to ‘ride’ a club, is seeking to be re-elected to the role he vacated.

Former Meath county chairman Peter O’Halloran has been sensationally nominated by his own club to run for the position again at next month’s annual convention.

In a move that has caused outrage in GAA circles, Meath club Drumconrath have forwarded Mr O’Halloran’s name to be put before delegates at the Meath convention scheduled for December 16.

It has also been suggested Mr O’Halloran may contest the position of Public Relations Officer against incumbent Ciaran Flynn.

The shock move by the north Meath club comes as Mr O’Halloran awaits the outcome of a Leinster Council investigation into a series of WhatsApp messages he sent to referee Patrick Nelis in 2017.

As exclusively revealed by the MoS he told the ref he was going to send him to ‘ride’ the Slane club in an upcoming match, Mr O’Halloran having allegedly held a grudge against the Boyneside team.

As he is currently not suspended and has not been found guilty of any offence, the former chairman is entitled to stand for election.

Now, the MoS can reveal that when he was still chairman Mr O’Halloran attempted to block communications between the journalist who broke the story in this paper and the county committee in relation to what he had done.

In correspondence to Ciaran Flynn last September, Mr O’Halloran stated: ‘We never ever again answer a call or email to Gerry Hand if it comes another way I will deal with it after talking to you.’

Mr Flynn, however, replied: ‘I do not single people out who work professionally in the media and I hope to be seen as fair to all in the media and in the GAA.’

The source revealed: ‘Word started going around that Peter had approached a number of clubs asking them to nominate him as chairman and understandably they were reluctant to do so. Eventually his own club nominated him and, to be honest, that has caused outrage among GAA circles.

‘There is a suggestion he may also contest the PRO role and that’s seen as an attempt to oust Ciaran Flynn because he stood up to him and continued to do the job professionally and properly.

‘He’s been an exemplary PRO, probably the best we have had in that role for a long time, but because he refused to do the former chairman’s bidding he may have a battle on his hands to keep the job.

The source said: ‘It’s incredible really, I mean here’s a guy who admitted a mistake that he accepted was serious enough to warrant his resignation and less than a couple of months later he expects people to have forgotten all about it. There was a fair bit of surprise also at the fact that at the recent Meath SFC final between Ratoath and Summerhill Peter was seen to be seated in the VIP area of Páirc Tailteann.

‘Long-standing protocol is that only the county chairman and secretary have the right to invite guests into that area and let’s just say people were shocked...

‘Of course there is a chance that the Leinster council report will clear him of any wrongdoing, but as he himself felt the need to resign over it that would be strange if it happened, but clearly he should not have been nominated... when the investigation was still proceeding.’

Peter O’Halloran, Drumconrath GFC and Meath GAA did not reply to requests for comment.