Kilkenny referees are to uphold their planned strike action this weekend in solidarity with a colleague who received a shocking, threatening letter after refereeing a minor hurling game in the county last week.
The treatment of referees in the GAA has been a hot topic in recent months, with high-profile incidents seeing referees targeted by both players and supporters at all levels.
The strike in Kilkenny marks a show of resistance to the poor treatment of referees up and down the country, and sees plenty of games in the county now at risk of being postponed or cancelled.
Kilkenny referees uphold strike action
Kilkenny GAA referees are to strike this weekend, from Friday morning through to Tuesday, in protest against a shocking letter received by a referee in the county after an U17 game last week.
The Irish Examiner reported on the incident, having received word from the referee in question of a handwritten letter he received after refereeing last week's under-17 hulring game between Erins Own and Thomastown.
The letter threatened that the author "knew where the referee lives" and slammed his performance - before closing by saying "May you die roaring with cancer."
The sickening letter has now pushed referees in Kilkenny to follow through with strike action this weekend, despite hopes from the county board that the strike action could be culled before the weekend's action got underway.
Referees are understood to not only want to show solidarity with their colleague, but to push the county board into investigating the incident and identifying the culprit behind the letter.
A number of minor, junior, and intermediate hurling fixtures in Kilkenny are now facing the risk of postponement this weekend in light of the strike action.
An Garda Síochána are investigating the abusive letter received by the referee of Erins Own and Thomastown.
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