The wife of a prominent Irish sportsman has told of how she has been the victim of serious domestic violence for more than two decades.
The woman said she has subjected to numerous vicious attacks by the sportsman over the past 24 years, including being beaten "into an inch of my life", strangled, bitten on the face and dragged by the hair along the street.
She has made the claims in a Facebook message, posted online on Tuesday, and said she was speaking out to encourage other young women who are being abused to know that "silence is not the answer".
"Please anyone who's been through this, speak out," she wrote.
"Silence nearly killed me."
In the lengthy post, which has received thousands of comments and shares online, she says she was just 18 when she was "dragged into a carpark".
"I was beat into an inch of my life for no reason, by a person I trusted and thought was my best friend," she said.
"I had a friend there that night who jumped on his back and got him off me, I owe her my life.
"While I was brought to hospital by my friends, he was back in the bar with some other poor girl.
"I stayed in a friends that night, I was hysterical, when I came home the next day my parents thought I'd been in a car accident, my face was so badly bruised and I could hardly walk.
"I had to do my A-levels with two black eyes and a fractured nose.
"I forgave that man and I married him. People like that don't change."
The woman then goes on to detail further attacks over the next two decades.
"At a wedding I was bitten on the face because I said something he didn't like, we left the venue and I was dragged up the street by the hair while constantly being hit," she wrote.
"I tried to flag down cars I thought I was going to die, the rest of that night is a black out, I've since learned your subconscious mind saves you from that level of trauma.
"I was bitten on the face again on a night out where we lived, I did nothing wrong only asked him to calm down on the drink.
"He tried to strangle me that night too."
She also said that later while pregnant, she was also subjected to vicious assaults.
"My pregnancies never changed the violence, I was thumped and winded with the first," she said.
"Thrown down the stairs with the second, I've been in the local surgery more times with fractured ribs.
"The two fingers in the ribcage is the worst pain I've felt in my entire life, I'd rather have every beating only that.”
The woman also admitted that she "developed a problem with alcohol because at the time I didn't know how else to cope"
"Blocking it out was easier than admitting what was happening," she added.
"I was glassed by that man and I had to tell lies I pretended I fell on mirror. My kids had to see me in bed with blood all over me.
"Silence isn't the answer, I tried that, I thought I was protecting my children, the only person I was protecting was him.
"Please anyone who's been through this, speak out.
"Silence nearly killed me."
Her post has received much support from members of the public, as well as political figures, including SDLP assembly member Cara Hunter, who said it was "absolutely heartbreaking".
"You are so brave to have spoken out on this," she said.
"Such courage and an example to so many still in silence. Praying for your recovery and a new life for you and your children."
Alliance assembly member Kate Nicholl posted: "Very brave to share, I hope you are getting support. Sending strength and solidarity."
The PSNI and Gardai were asked if they are aware of the allegations and if they are investigating.
A PSNI spokeswoman said: "We do not comment on named individuals and no inference should be drawn from this."
It is understood that the Garda is aware of matters posted online and has engaged with an individual involved. No formal complaint has been received.
"An Garda Síochána does not comment on material posted online," a spokesman said.
"Any person who is the victim of, or who knows or suspects they know a victim of domestic abuse, or who may wish to report or discuss an incident of domestic or sexual abuse is encouraged to contact 112/ 999 or their local Garda station or a domestic abuse support agency."
The sporting organisation also did not respond to a request for a comment.
