Cork native John Finnegan quits as FAI vice-president

The FAI will have a new vice-president at their AGM in October after Cork native John Finnegan resigned with immediate effect.

Citing personal and family matters for his departure, Finnegan is to remain as Chairman of Munster Senior League and a committee member of the Munster Football Association.

His abrupt exit comes less than a week after the FAI received an anonymous email claiming a plethora of allegations against named individuals, amounting to a “a wider culture that remains toxic, unaccountable and in many ­cases unchanged despite past scandals”.

Finnegan has yet to comment but his solicitor Brendan O’Sullivan acknowledged an historical matter arose during his employment outside of the FAI.

Despite the whistleblower complaint citing inappropriate photographic material, that wasn’t the case.

“He is resigning for personal and family matters,” O’Sullivan told the Irish Independent.

“This regrettable incident happened 15 years ago.

"It was handled at the time and the finding was that inappropriate language was used in messages. John would now like to put this matter behind him.”

Finnegan was part of the new board elected in the aftermath of the 2019 financial and governance crisis.

He was elevated to Vice-President in 2023 and was due to be re-elected for a second two-year term at the upcoming AGM until this crisis erupted.

An FAI statement said: “The Football Association of Ireland confirms that John Finnegan has resigned from his position as Vice President of the Association with immediate effect, due to personal and family reasons.

“The Board has accepted his resignation and thanks him for his service to the association over the past number of years.”

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