Cork principal denies being drunk in school and says 'social media trolls' targeted him

Aidan Breathnach, principal at Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers, Cork, has vowed to return.

A Cork City primary school principal has gone out on stress leave, claiming to have been the victim of malicious rumours that he was drunk in school.

It is understood that a group of parents removed nearly 100 children from Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers last week due to concerns over health and safety.

The school, on Redemption Rd, had 280 pupils at the beginning of this school year.

The principal, Aidan Breathnach, claims to have been the victim of an “orchestrated campaign”, with allegations being spread online that he was drunk in school.

In a statement, Mr Breathnach said: “Due to the sheer shock, heartbreak and stress over the last few days I have not responded to the false, negative, and defamatory commentary being made about me since Friday.

I can categorically say that the allegations against me that I was under the influence of alcohol in school on Tuesday, April 14, are completely untrue and unfounded. 

Mr Breathnach, who has been principal since 2013, said: “On Monday, 13 April, I was in Kerry General Hospital — hospital records will pertain to that. 

"On Tuesday morning, 14th, I went to school without my medication for vertigo, which I was diagnosed with at Christmas. Again, I have doctors reports to verify this.

“Without my medication I was unfortunately very disorientated throughout the day. Anybody who saw me or who spoke to me that day would have seen how disorientated I was...” 

Mr Breathnach said he spent most of his day on Tuesday with the school’s secretary and caretaker “who will vouch for me that I definitely was not under the influence of alcohol".

“I have wrongfully been the target of a school protest and online social media trolls which have torn my reputation apart and damaged the name of the school.

“In my 13 years as principal, I have never entered the school property under the influence of alcohol. My duty of care was always to the children and I stand over that."

He continued: “To the parents who took their children out, I completely understand when you had false information... This whole protest and the online circus that followed has deeply affected both me and my family. I am now out on stress leave.

“I fully intend to return as principal of Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers and continue the work I have being doing for the last 13 years to build and grow this great school into the future.” 

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said: “We are engaging with the patron and board of management of the school on this matter.”