Gardaí confirm McCarthy death threats probe

by Sean O’Riordan

Thursday, March 12, 2009

A SENIOR garda has confirmed an investigation is being carried out into death threats made against former Cork hurling manager Gerald McCarthy.

Chief Superintendent Liam Hayes said a number of gardaí were trying to track down those who made the threatening phone calls, which were received by Mr McCarthy’s family at their home in Wilton, Cork.

The five-time All Ireland medal winner made news of the threats public on Tuesday night when he announced he was stepping down from the manager’s post after two-and-a-half years.

Cork County Board spokes-man Gerard Lane said he hoped gardaí would quickly track down those who made the threats.

"The County Board sees no place for this type of behaviour in the sport," Mr Lane said.

He said board officers were shocked that Gerald McCarthy and his family had been targeted in such a fashion.

"Criticism is one thing, but menacing phone calls to Mr McCarthy’s family are particularly sinister and cannot be condoned," Mr Lane said.

The former hurling boss said the threats against his life, which were made around a week ago, were the latest in a sequence of threats and abuse he and his family had suffered over a number of months.

"I cannot expect a family even as supportive as mine to withstand that pressure and possibly to put their own safety at risk," McCarthy said.

He also revealed that after his son had received another anonymous threat, his elderly father had begged him to step down from the post. McCarthy said he didn’t know if the threats were random or orchestrated.

But he said the threats had proved to be "one of two tipping points" which made him decide to quit as manager.

Chief Supt Hayes said that threats to kill a person were unlawful under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

Gardaí are expected to check phone records in an attempt to identify who made the threats.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Thursday, March 12, 2009