The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Derrick Lynch
Secretary of Clare GAA Pat Fitzgerald has hit out at the “unwarranted character assassination” on him in light of social media commentary, which he says also impinges on his family.
The Sixmilebridge clubman has used his address to the 2019 Convention of Clare GAA to highlight the issue which he described as a “particularly disturbing development” during the year. The matter has been referred to an Garda Siochana after Mr Fitzgerald made a formal complaint to Clare GAA in recent weeks after he felt that “enough is enough”.
His report to delegates states that: “For years I have been pilloried on social media and other online platforms, subjected to cheap shots by a majority of people who haven’t the decency or courage to put their names to the posts. For most of the time, I have chosen to ignore the diatribe. I have always prided myself on being a person with solid principles and values, or decency, integrity and honesty, but this year’s vitriol descended to unacceptable levels. When online posts question those characteristics and enter the realm of a smear and belittlement campaign as I see it, I just could not sit idly by any longer and bite my tongue. It was time to take forceful action”.
The secretary also outlined that his decision to take the matter further was not solely based on the impact it was having on him on a personal and professional level.
He noted: “By extension, such an unwarranted character assassination impinges on my family also. One can cocoon oneself for so long but they too have been hurt by the unacceptable comments posted by people sitting a keyboard hiding behind the shield of anonymity. It has not just been this year along. It came to a point where I had to go down a road I had thought long and hard about previously. A cohort of people has consistently been of the one mind, hitting the keyboard trying to tarnish my good name and that of other officers of the county board”.
Mr Fitzgerald confirmed that a Garda investigation is now underway and outlined what has been submitted to them.
“Over the years a dossier of social media postings has been gathered and this has been handed over to the Gardaí to investigate. A formal complaint has been made and the matter is now in the hands of the relevant authority, An Garda Siochana. It wasn’t something I did lightly but I think you will agree it is time to put a stop to these vilified attacks. Other officers of Clare GAA have also been maligned on social media and these posts are also included in the dossier of complaints. We will wait to see what develops from the Garda investigation” he stated.
