Sinn Féin TD to ‘resist’ removal as Drogheda United chair after call for Ireland to boycott Israel fixtures

Sinn Féin TD for Louth Joanna Byrne says she will resist efforts which she claims have been made by Drogheda United’s board to remove her as co-chairperson of the club.

The alleged move by the board comes after Byrne called for the FAI to boycott the Republic of Ireland’s Nations League fixtures against Israel later this year.

“On Monday morning, I was informed by the board of directors of Drogheda United FC 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,” Byrne said in a statement issued on Wednesday evening.

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“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.

“I stand over those comments.”

Since 2023, Drogheda is owned by The Trivela Group, an Alabama-registered family office formed by Ben Boycott and Ken Polk which holds €11 billion in capital.

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Boycott is co-chair of Drogheda and CEO of the multi-club model that includes English club Walsall, Trivela FC in Togo and Danish club Silkeborg IF.

In response to Byrne’s statement on Wednesday, Drogheda United commented: “Drogheda United Football Club has noted the statement issued regarding our co-chair, Joanna Byrne. 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. 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. To be clear, the substance of Ms Byrne’s views has never been attacked by the club or Trivela Group.”

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