A CONNEMARA GAA club has lodged a complaint with the Galway County Board after a referee allegedly told a football team not to speak Irish on the pitch.
The incident is said to have occurred on Saturday during a Junior A Football Championship West match between Na Piarsaigh/Ros Muc and Salthill Knocknacarra in Rossaveal, Connemara.
After the game, Na Piarsaigh/Ros Muc GAA Club launched an official complaint to the Galway County Board in relation to comments allegedly made by the match referee during the game.
Speaking to RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltacht, the Galway County Board confirmed that a complaint had been made by the club.
Board Secretary John Hynes said that a club official had also made an official complaint.
The club official alleges that the referee told him not to speak in Irish to his team.
Mr Hynes said that the complaints would be handled through the GAA’s official complaints system, and that the allegation is being treated with the utmost seriousness.
He accepted that the occurrence, if substantiated, would stand as a very serious matter to have occurred - particularly in a GAA sport.
The inquiry into the matter will be completed by September 29, the county board confirmed.
