GAA club ‘appalled’ by coach’s child abuse

A GAA club said it is appalled by the abuse perpetrated by a former coach against children, including one of its former players.

At Ennis Circuit Court on Monday, former club chairman, public relations officer, and coach at the Banner GAA club, James Maher, aged 69, of Clonroad Beg, Ennis, admitted 18 counts of the sexual abuse of two boys in the 1980s.

Maher was a founding member of the club. One of his victims was a player on the Banner’s U12 and U14 teams, of which Maher served as manager.

The boy was 12 when the abuse started on Jan 1, 1982, and continued until Mar 17, 1984, when he was a month away from his 15th birthday.

In a victim impact statement, the former player described Maher as a “monster” and said he tried to take his own life twice before he turned 19.

The victim said: “At 12 years old, I was a very happy, bright, young kid achieving good grades in school and then the abuse started.

“There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about what happened to me. My life has been totally messed up.”

The court was also told that, in one instance, Mr Maher abused the second victim on the grounds of Banner GAA.

In a statement yesterday, the Banner GAA club said it was “shocked to learn of the terrible suffering inflicted by a former officer of the club in 1982-85”.

The club sought to reassure parents of children who are members of the club today.

A single man, Maher is currently on bail and is due to be sentenced by Judge Carroll Moran on Jan 14.