Kerry GAA investigate racist abuse case

Kerry GAA officials are investigating claims a member of the Travelling community was racially abused at a club match last week.

Listowel Emmett’s Eddie Joe Walsh wrote a letter of complaint to the board after a Division 3 North Kerry League game against Clounmacon last Thursday night in which he claims he was called a “smelly knacker” and a “tinker”. The 19-year-old added he was embarrassed in front of 40 to 50 people by a person at the game and he also lodged a complaint with the Traveller Representative Group.

The North Kerry Board will review the referee’s report and base their investigation on that. Kerry County Board’s Inclusion and Integration Committee chairperson Bernie Reen hoped the incident would not put people off the GAA.

“We have done a lot of work on inclusion and integration in the county and we want everyone to feel welcome and enjoy the GAA. Our doors are always open.”