Chairperson and Drogheda dispute resignation claims over Israel comments

Drogheda United co-chairperson Joanna Byrne has said that the club’s board of directors have asked her to resign following her comments about the Republic of Ireland’s Nations League games against Israel.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Byrne said she was informed that her role was “no longer tenable” and that she was expected to resign.

That was in response to Byrne making a statement last week in her role as spokesperson on sport for political party Sinn Fein, saying she was “angry and dismayed” that the Republic of Ireland will fulfil fixtures against Israel later in the year.

“It appears that their morals, and principled position, was only on paper – not in actions where it counts,” said Byrne in the statement she issued last week.

“Israel should not be in this competition,” she added.

The League of Ireland side, who are owned by the American-based Trivela group, released their own statement on Wednesday, stating that “at this time, no changes have been made to the club’s board”.

“The concerns expressed to Ms Byrne by her fellow directors are unrelated to anyone’s specific political or moral views, and at no point were any such concerns expressed,” it continued.

“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.

In November 2025, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) voted to submit a motion to European football’s governing body Uefa to ban Israel from its club and international competitions.

The motion, which was overwhelmingly passed, urged Uefa to exclude Israel for “violating two independent provisions of the Uefa statutes”.

The “violations” cited were the “organisation of clubs in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association” and a “failure to implement and enforce an effective anti-racism policy”.

Byrne, who is the Teachta Dala (TD, Irish member of parliament) for Louth and has been co-chairperson at the club since 2023, explained her situation at Drogheda in a statement on Wednesday.

“On Monday morning, I was informed by the board of directors of Drogheda United Football Club that my role as chairperson of the club was no longer tenable with an expectation that I would resign, something I have told them that I intend to resist,” she wrote.

“This unwarranted action was taken after my public statement last week that Ireland should not play Israel in the Nations League while a genocide against the Palestinian people continues.

“It is profoundly hurtful that expressing a moral view – one shared by the majority of Irish football fans – has led to this approach despite me never referencing the club at any stage whilst doing so.

“I stand over those comments. They were made from a deeply held belief in equality, human rights and the power of sport to take principled positions – as it has done many times in history.

“These fixtures should not go ahead and I believe pressure will grow in the days and weeks ahead against them. This position is in line with Drogheda United delegates’ vote at the FAI General Assembly in November in supporting a motion for Uefa to ban Israel from its European club and international competitions.

Following last week’s Nations League draw, the FAI indicated it would fulfil fixtures against Israel on 27 September and 4 October because of the potential for disqualification.

In a statement following the draw, the FAI said it had consulted with Uefa and that sanctions for not fulfilling a fixture could lead to disqualification from the Nations League.

In September, there were reports Uefa may hold a vote on whether to suspend Israel from club and international competition.

However, such a move never materialised and any prospect of that happening receded after the announcement of the Israel-Hamas peace plan for Gaza in October.

The conflict in Gaza was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

Drogheda’s principal sponsor, Sullivan and Lambe, also issued a statement on social media on Wednesday, showing support for Byrne and saying it would be “actively reviewing” its position as sponsor, which it has held since the start of 2025.

The Ashbourne-based stone supplier said it was “extremely concerned by the attempts to remove Joanna Byrne as chairperson as Drogheda United for remarks she made in relation to the Republic of Ireland men’s team’s upcoming game against Israel”.

The statement continued: “As a business and lifelong supporters of Drogheda United, this development troubles us deeply.

“We do not believe that political opinions expressed by a sitting TD, especially one who is spokesperson for her political party on sport, should become the basis for interference in the governance of a community football club.

“We are therefore deeply disappointed at the approach the Trivela Group have taken and the precedent it sets.

“While this situation continues to unfold, Sullivan and Lambe will be actively reviewing our position as sponsors of Drogheda United in the coming days.