GAA President Jarlath Burns has told Patrick Kielty that he will not retract a letter he sent to Naas GAA raising concerns over its possible appointment of Rory Gallagher as a coach at the club.

He made the comments on The Late Late Show GAA Special on Friday, January 1, on RTE One, where he spoke about the intervention he made and the threat of legal action that has been made against him by the former Derry, Donegal and Fermanagh head coach.

When asked about the email that he sent to the Co Kildare club by Patrick Kielty, Jarlath Burns said that he has made it clear he would not be a "hands off president" and that he contacted the club due to concerns he had due to the values of the GAA.

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He said: "I did take the opportunity to contact Naas and let them know the reservations that I had. Given the values and principles that we have in the GAA, which are very important to us.

"One of them is underlined by the 'Gamechanger' initiative, which I launched on the 25th of November, 2024, which really shone a light on the area of gender-based, domestic and sexual violence.

"If Naas GAA had decided, 'thank you for that advice but we're not going to take it', that was me finished with them.

"As you know, clubs organise themselves. We are the most democratic institution in Ireland.

"But I wouldn't be true to myself, as the person whose number one job is to protect the values of the GAA, if I didn't at least point out to somebody somewhere that I had reservations.

"Once they decided what they were going to do, that was none of my business anymore. But remember, that was a private correspondence that I entered into."

Mr Burns said that he would not retract a private email that he sent to the club in good faith and that Rory Gallagher has been aware that there "is a way back for him" within the GAA.

"I don't bear any ill-will against anybody. I hope that he doesn't. But I can't retract anything I have said in good faith in a private email to a club. And I don't say that with any sense of ebullience or determination or 'bring it on'.

"This is a really tragic situation for a family.

"There is always a way back for people. The GAA is not interested in cancel culture.

"We have told Rory that as well. Rory is aware of the way back for him."

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