'GAA Catfish' case struck out as Dublin school ends disciplinary proceedings

The High Court heard the dispute had been resolved, and the school had agreed to stop the disciplinary process

The hugely-popular episodes of the 2 Johnnies Podcast discussed a woman, referred to as 'Nikki', who came to be known as the 'GAA Catfish'. File picture: Ruth Medjber

A schoolteacher who claimed she was wrongly identified as the so-called “GAA catfish” has resolved her High Court action brought against her employer.

The case arose from the school’s initiation of a disciplinary process arising over her alleged identification.

Last month, Niamh Farrell secured a short-term injunction restraining Coláiste Éanna from continuing the disciplinary process against her, brought following what she said were false allegations online identifying her as the person allegedly responsible for “catfishing” various individuals in activities that were the subject of several podcasts by entertainment duo the 2 Johnnies.

Conor Power SC, for Ms Farrell and instructed by Daly Khursid Solicitors, told Mr Justice Brian Cregan on Wednesday the dispute had been resolved, and the school had agreed to stop the disciplinary process.

Mr Power said the school had agreed to withdraw a report prepared by the school’s principal as part of the disciplinary process, which referred to the alleged activities of the “GAA catfish".

Mr Power told the judge the matter could be struck out, with an order for legal costs to his client.

Fechín McDonagh, for the school and instructed by Mason Hayes & Curran, agreed the matter could be struck out on consent. Mr Justice Cregan made the order to strike out the proceedings.

Asked by Mr Justice Cregan if the resolution meant Ms Farrell was wrongly identified, Mr Power said the school had ceased the disciplinary process, and that was what his client had sought to achieve.

Arising from her identification and allegations made against her, Ms Farrell, from The Spires, Portadown, Co Armagh, had faced a disciplinary process initiated by Coláiste Éanna, an all-boys secondary school on Ballyroan Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16, where she has worked as a music teacher since 2019.

In a sworn statement to the court, Ms Farrell said she was concerned the school was relying on a “completely flawed and unlawful” disciplinary process in an effort to dismiss her because of “the public attention that focused on the school and pressure from some parents”.

Podcasts published by the 2 Johnnies in 2022 described the alleged activities of an individual who created fictitious social media profiles to communicate with others, often men, many of whom were involved in the GAA community.

The podcasters published a follow-up episode on the subject in January. The podcasts did not name the individual alleged to have carried out the catfishing activities.

Ms Farrell said she became aware of her false identification online as the alleged catfish by people unknown to her in 2022. She said she was informed in early March of an investigation report prepared by the school’s principal for a disciplinary process.

The report refers to the alleged activities of the “GAA catfish” and, Ms Farrell said, “seems to consider that I have admitted to being that person”. Ms Farrell said she has always denied she is the person, including to the principal.