Enquiries are underway after a "serious incident" reportedly took place in Miami, Florida in November during Armagh GAA's celebratory post-season holiday.
“A report was made to the Police Service of Northern Ireland regarding an incident which is believed to have occurred in the United States in November,” a spokesperson for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) told IrishCentral on Monday when asked about the reported “serious incident.”
“Enquiries are currently being carried out and no further details are available at present.”
The PSNI investigation was first reported by the Sunday World yesterday, December 8.
The report comes after "unsubstantiated claims about the alleged incident have been widely circulated on social media in recent weeks," The Irish News noted on Sunday.
According to the Sunday World, the complaint was made by "one of the near-100 strong party" who traveled to Miami in November as part of Armagh GAA's celebrations for winning the 2024 GAA All Ireland Senior Football Championship this summer.
A complaint, the nature of which is not immediately clear, was lodged with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) after the group's return to Ireland, the Sunday World reported yesterday, adding that it is understood no complaint has been lodged in Florida.
Armagh received around £100,000 (about €120k / $127k) from GAA headquarters for the end-of-season holiday, which happens every year to the All-Ireland winners, the Sunday World reported yesterday.
The trip was additionally funded by fundraising carried out by clubs within Co Armagh.
The Armagh group - which included players, staff, wives, and girlfriends - flew from Dublin to Miami on November 13 and returned to Dublin on November 20. In Miami, the Armagh group stayed at the five-star Eden Roc hotel and attended a college football match and a basketball game.
The Sunday World reports that while the Armagh County Board has "refused to engage with the media" regarding the incident in Miami, sources say that county board officials held a crisis meeting in south Armagh last week that became heated.
The Sunday World further reports that Ulster Council, which oversees Gaelic Games in the province, is also investigating what happened in Miami.
The news hit the headlines on Sunday while members of the Armagh GAA panel, including manager Kieran 'Geezer' McGeeney, visited New York City for a fundraising trip.
On Saturday, the entourage was at a restaurant/bar in midtown Manhattan for what was promoted as the 'All Ireland Champions Armagh Football Glory Gathering in NYC.'
The $250-per-ticket formal event featured live music, a three-hour open bar, raffles including All Ireland 2025 tickets, and a “meet and greet with Sam Maguire, Geezer, and some of the players and coaches.”
It also featured an 'Armagh GAA Auction' to support the development of the St. Malachy’s Training Facility.
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On Sunday, the Sam Maguire Cup was at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey as the Giants took on the Saints.
Social media posts showed that the Sam Maguire was also feted in the Woodlawn / Yonkers section of New York over the weekend, making stops at the local church as well as local pubs and restaurants.
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On Monday, PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher responded as reports of the alleged "serious incident" spread.
"There's nothing I can really say about this incident," Boutcher said during a cross-border policing conference in Co Cavan on Monday, according to RTÉ News.
"That is something that we would be working with other jurisdictions if they approach us. I want to be really careful.
"I think we've all got to be really responsible about what we're saying about this incident at the moment and just make sure that we're allowed to get on with working with other organisations, and we're very mindful about what we say in the public domain."
When asked what the next steps might be, Boutcher said: "We would wait to be approached by another jurisdiction for any help that we can offer them.
"I'm not going to talk about this particular incident and what has happened with regards to that. Let's just get on with doing what we do. I know there's a huge amount of reporting on social media.
"I'd really ask people to stop speculating about this incident out of respect, actually for anybody who may have made any allegation.
"Let's just due process take its place."
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