Drogheda United owners instruct 'heartbroken' director Joanna Byrne to step down

Sinn Féin TDs Ruairí Ó Murchú, left, and Joanna Byrne before the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division match between Dundalk and Drogheda United at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Drogheda United's American owners Trivela Group have instructed co-chairperson and director Joanna Byrne to resign from her role at the club. 

Trivela denied the move is down to "Ms Byrne’s political views or beliefs", while at the same time saying it has conducted an internal review "regarding the practicality of having an individual with political obligations simultaneously serve as a director of a football club".

Byrne, also Sinn Féin TD for Louth, last month said the club's board of directors asked her to resign following her comments about the Republic of Ireland's Nations League games against Israel.

Byrne, who serves as spokesperson on sport for Sinn Féin, had said she was "angry and dismayed" that Ireland will fulfil fixtures against Israel this year.

The club then said it had simply been unhappy with Byrne's implied criticism of the FAI and Uefa, but hadn't made any changes to its board.

"What was expressed was a concern over the open criticism of Uefa and the FAI, regulatory bodies to whom the club is subject, as well as each club official's responsibility to respect the neutrality provisions of the Fifa code of ethics and the Uefa statutes."

Now, Trivela confirm it has asked Byrne to go.

"We can confirm that it has, pursuant to its authority under her service agreement with Drogheda Utd FC Limited, provided written instruction requiring Joanna Byrne to resign from her position as director and co-chair.

"We thank Ms Byrne for her service to Drogheda United and for the time and effort she devoted to the Club during her tenure as a director and co-chair."

It adds: "For the avoidance of doubt, this decision was not taken in any way on the basis of Ms Byrne’s political views or beliefs, which she has expressed freely and in a public manner for the duration of her directorship. Rather, this decision followed a statement made regarding private discussions with Club ownership. This not only caused a breakdown in the trust and confidence necessary for her to continue in the role as a director of the Club, but also sharpened the governance concerns that had been the topic of those original discussions."

Trivela then highlighted Byrne's Sinn Féin role as being incompatible with continuing as a director.

"Furthermore, these matters have triggered an internal review at Trivela regarding the practicality of having an individual with political obligations simultaneously serve as a director of a football club. That review concluded that this is not a workable arrangement and should have been addressed previously."

In her own statement, Byrne said she was heartbroken by the development. 

"Today’s developments are deeply upsetting, but not surprising. On a personal level, I am heartbroken. I have always put Drogheda Utd first and over the past month have continued to try and uphold the same.

"I will now take some time to review my options and won’t be making any further comment at this time."

She later added:

“This is nothing more than a formal follow-on by Trivela Group from the meeting on 16th February where expectations for me to resign were expressed after I was told my position as Chairperson was untenable. I stated at that stage I would not resign and that remains my position today.

“I am under no illusion that this is solely as a result of my comments in my capacity as Sinn Féin spokesperson on sport that the Ireland-Israel match should not go ahead, and I think people will see it for what it is.

“I will now consider the options open to me and proceed from there.”