Northern Ireland

Parish priest and former long-time Tyrone GAA coach Fr Gerard McAleer steps aside from parish role after historical complaint

Fr Gerard McAleer has stepped aside from his role as parish priest of Donaghmore in Co Tyrone. Picture by Jim Hamill Photography
Fr Gerard McAleer has stepped aside from his role as parish priest of Donaghmore in Co Tyrone. Picture by Jim Hamill Photography Fr Gerard McAleer has stepped aside from his role as parish priest of Donaghmore in Co Tyrone. Picture by Jim Hamill Photography

A PARISH priest and former long-time coach with Tyrone GAA has stepped down from his parish role following a historical complaint.

Fr Gerard McAleer, the PP of Donaghmore, has voluntarily stood aside following concerns relating to a time "prior to his ordination as a priest".

It is believed that Fr McAleer was ordained in the early 1980s.

The Tyrone priest is also well-known in education and sporting circles.

A former principal of St Brigid's High School in Armagh and St Patrick's Academy in Dungannon, he was a close companion of Mickey Harte throughout many of Tyrone GAA's successes over recent decades.

The pair took over the county's minor side in 1991 and Fr McAleer served as assistant manager when Tyrone landed its first ever All-Ireland senior football title in 2003.

Fr McAleer, believed to be in his early 60s, became parish priest in Donaghmore in the same year.

Parishioners in Donaghmore and neighbouring Galbally were informed of the news in an announcement read at Masses at the weekend.

It is understood that Fr McAleer celebrated morning Mass in Donaghmore on Saturday but was not present for the vigil Mass later that evening.

The parish lies within the Archdiocese of Armagh, which released a statement but declined to name either the priest or the parish concerned.

The Archbishop of Armagh is Eamon Martin, who as the Primate of All-Ireland is the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland.

The Archdiocese said that the priest had "voluntarily stood aside from his position because of concerns brought to the Diocese and reported to the Gardaí".

"The information received is historic and relates to a time prior to his time in ministry in the Archdiocese, and indeed prior to his ordination as a priest. The relevant statutory authorities in Northern Ireland have been informed."

The statement added that Archbishop Martin has appealed for prayers for all concerned while "stressing that the priest continues to be entitled to the natural right of every person to the presumption of innocence pending the completion of all relevant state and Church processes."

Gardai did not respond to requests for a comment.