Cork city principal denies alcohol rumours and alleges 'orchestrated campaign' against him

A Cork city primary school principal has gone out on stress leave after denying rumours that he was drunk in the school.

It is understood that a group of parents removed nearly 100 children from the school last week due to concerns over health and safety.

The school, Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers, on Redemption Road on the northside of Cork city, caters for about 280 pupils.

The principal has said that he has been the victim of an “orchestrated campaign”.

In a statement shared with The Echo, school principal Aidan Breathnach said: “Due to the sheer shock, heartbreak and stress over the last few days I have not responded to the false, negative and defamatory commentary being made about me.

“I can categorically say that the allegations against me that I was under the influence of alcohol in school on Tuesday 14 April are completely untrue and unfounded.”

He said that he was in Kerry General Hospital on Monday last week and that he went to school on Tuesday without his medication for vertigo which he was diagnosed with at Christmas, adding that he had doctors reports to verify this.

“Without my medication I was unfortunately very disorientated throughout the day. Anybody who saw me or who spoke to me that day would have seen how disorientated I was.”

Mr Breathnach, who has been principal since 2013, said that he spent most of his day on Tuesday with the school’s secretary and caretaker “who will vouch for me that I definitely was not under the influence of alcohol and both were aware of how I was suffering disorientation from not having my medication.

“The only mistake I made that Tuesday was not bringing my medication to school with me,” he said.

“I have wrongfully been the target of a school protest and online social media trolls which have torn my reputation apart and has damaged the name of the school.

“In my 13 years as principal, I have never entered the school property under the influence of alcohol. My duty of care was always to the children and I stand over that.

“I was heartbroken to see parents come last Friday to take their children out of the school based on malicious and false rumours and an orchestrated campaign against me.” 

He continued: “To the parents who took their children out, I completely understand when you had false information. To the people online who have targeted me with false allegations, I will pray for you.

“This whole protest and the online circus that followed has deeply affected both me and my family. I am now out on stress leave.

“I fully intend to return as principal of Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers and continue the work I have being doing for the last 13 years to build and grow this great school into the future.” 

The Echo contacted Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers and the Parents' Association for comment.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said: “We are engaging with the patron and board of management of the school on this matter.”