A safeguarding committee has been set up and had its first meeting to implement the recommendations from the McGibbon Safeguarding Review, after allegations of domestic abuse were made against former Fermanagh manager Rory Gallagher.

The first meeting of the GAA’s Adult Safeguarding and Culture Review Task Force took place last week.

GAA President Jarlath Burns, selected Donegal native Julie Galbraith to chair the group. Galbraith, a partner at the law firm Eversheds Sutherland and specialises in employment law and is an experienced GAA volunteer.

Mr. Burns said: "Julie brings a wealth of professional expertise and volunteering experience to this role and I’m delighted she took up the invitation to chair the task force. I’d also like to thank the other exceptional volunteers that accepted the invitation to guide the GAA on this important journey.

“While this is one of our key priorities it is relatively unchartered waters for the GAA, and Irish sport in many ways. We are blessed in the Gaelic Games family to have access to volunteers of this calibre; people who bring both formidable experience and passion to the task at hand.”

The task force was set up to implement recommendations of a review into how the GAA responds when concerns are raised about domestic violence and abuse.

The review was launched in 2023 when Mr Gallagher's estranged wife, Nicola, made claims on social media that she had been subjected to physical abuse over a period of more than 24 years.

Ms. Gallagher claimed that GAA chiefs in Derry and Fermanagh were told about allegations of domestic abuse but did not take action. 

Mr. Gallagher was also formerly the senior manager of the Donegal county team.

At the time the allegations first emerged online, Mr. Gallagher released a statement before later stepping down as manager of Derry GAA. In it, he said: "I have been made aware of a social media post by my estranged wife Nicola Gallagher in which she has made a number of very serious allegations against me.

"I have left this matter in the hands of my legal team and ask that the privacy of our family is respected at this time. I will not be making any further public comment on this matter."

He said the allegations against him had been “investigated and dealt with by the relevant authorities”.

Last September, the former Derry manager was suspended from GAA activities when it emerged he had been training a Monaghan club. This decision followed the Ulster Council's commissioning of a safeguarding panel. In February, his suspension was lifted.

There has been speculation that Gallagher may replace the recently departed Derry GAA manager, Mickey Harte.

The Irish News reported on Wednesday that Ulster GAA said allegations made against Mr. Gallagher were "under review".