Niamh Farrell, the schoolteacher who claims she has been wrongly identified as the “GAA catfish”, was first contacted by her principal in May 2022 about allegations circulating online.
The GAA catfish story – told initially by entertainment duo the 2 Johnnies to a sold-out 3Arena in April 2022, followed by a series of podcasts – detailed how fake online profiles were being used by an unnamed person to lure GAA players and others into relationships.
Ms Farrell, a music teacher, says she became aware at the time of the podcasts and “completely false” claims on the Tattle Life website that she was the GAA catfish, according to a sworn statement to the High Court.
Ms Farrell submitted an affidavit to support her application last Wednesday for an injunction restraining her employer from continuing a disciplinary process against her. She secured a short-term injunction, and the matter is back before the courts next week.
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Court documents reveal how the school dealt with the allegations, its concern over public attention, growing pressure from parents and disquiet over how the issues were said to be disrupting the running of the school.
Ms Farrell says the principal of her school – Coláiste Éanna, an all-boys school in Rathfarnham, Dublin 16 – told her that concerns had been raised by parents at the school after she was first named online.
“I informed the principal at the time that the allegations were completely false, that I was not involved in any ‘catfishing’ activities and that the allegations being made about me were a matter of great distress to me,” she says in the affidavit.
“The principal appeared to accept my explanation and at no time during our conversation did he express any doubt regarding my assertions that the rumours being circulated online by persons unknown to me were untrue,” she says.
Ms Farrell says she was subsequently medically certified as unfit for two weeks due to the impact on her “physical and mental health”.
Thereafter, she says she was asked not to attend a sixth-year graduation ceremony in May 2022, as the principal was “concerned that there may be some media attention on the event”.
She says she agreed not to attend in those circumstances.
“This was not any admission on any involvement, what was agreed as a matter of pragmatism and also because I was very upset at having been identified as the person involved.”
Ms Farrell, from Portadown, Co Armagh, says she also told the principal that she had been contacted by the Garda and Police Service of Northern Ireland had been in contact with her to check on her welfare after being named publicly online.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I have never been accused of any criminal wrongdoing of any kind by any agency,” she states.
In January 2025, the issues flared up again when the 2 Johnnies Podcast broadcast a third episode on the GAA Catfish.
When the podcast was released, she says she went into the principal’s office to let him know she was okay and would not need any time off.
“The principal continued to check in on me every day to make sure I was all right and assured me that any emails were coming in that he was responding, ‘this is a personal matter with one of our teachers that we will not be responding to’.
“I feel that he was making me believe he was being supportive and then used information that I gave against me.”
While sitting in her classroom, she says she received an email stating that the principal had referred her to the occupational health service Medmark.
“At this point, I became concerned that he might be trying to force me out on sick leave. Medmark deemed me fit for work.”
Ms Farrell says she was shocked to receive an investigation report on March 3rd last into her conduct, under disciplinary proceedings for the suspension and dismissal of teachers and principals.
This is a five-stage process which ranges from informal to formal to hearings and appeals.
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She says her wrongdoing was deemed to be serious enough to begin the process at stage four, which she says is “fundamentally flawed” given that she has never been the subject of disciplinary proceedings.
Ms Farrell says the report contains a statement by the principal stating that she “confirmed to [the principal] that she is the person in question who the podcast relates to”.
She denies ever saying this, according to her affidavit.
Ms Farrell also notes that the report refers to 63 communications received by the school from parents regarding the allegations, some of which alleged “serious criminal conduct”.
“None of the complaints relate directly to my conduct. They are hearsay ... they are simply not a basis for disciplinary action against me,” she says.
Ms Farrell also notes that the investigation report refers to the impact on staff members, where it is alleged some female staff have been mistaken for Ms Farrell; and that her behaviour caused disruption to the running of the school and the education of children, as well as affecting staff morale and wellbeing. The investigation report further alleges that she has brought the school into disrepute.
She says these issues were “totally beyond her control” and she was not responsible for them and could not defend herself against “vague allegations”.
Ms Farrell says she has been the subject of videos recorded by students which were placed on TikTok and photographed in conversation with the principal, which was also posted online. None of these issues were investigated, she said, nor was concern expressed for her welfare, though they constituted “breaches of the school’s communication policies”.
She maintains she has had an “unblemished disciplinary record” at the school and her duties include delivering high quality lessons, preparing lessons, planning and organising musical performances, arranging trips and school competitions.
“My competency to teach and my commitment to my pupils has not been questioned,” she says.
