Sister of Derry City Players Criticizes Online Abuse, Shares Emotional Impact

The sister of Derry City captain Patrick McEleney has condemned the online abuse aimed at the team by certain supporters following their cup final loss, labeling it “toxic and hurtful.” On Sunday, Derry City experienced a surprising 2-0 defeat against Drogheda United at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, witnessed by 20,000 Candystripes fans. Sarah Harrigan, whose brothers Patrick and Shane are both members of the team, stated that the online harassment directed at them and their teammates caused her to cry. Both Derry City Football Club and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) have been approached for a statement. Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme, Sarah remarked, “Shane and Patrick are very resilient and experienced, and they’re well used to it, but as a person myself, I’m not going to lie, I’ve cried.” She continued, “It’s this minority of online abusers… I don’t even call them trolls any more; I call them abusers because some of the stuff they say is just taking it to the next level. As a family, I can only speak for myself, but it does impact me. Luckily enough, my father doesn’t have social media, my mother does. It does definitely affect you when you read things about your own brothers.” This loss followed a disappointing season for Derry, as they concluded the league in fourth place and failed to secure their seventh FAI Cup. Consequently, they have also forfeited the opportunity to participate in European football competitions next season. However, for Sarah, a season ticketholder, the online harassment directed at the players has become excessive. She expressed particular distress over remarks suggesting that some players “weren’t fit to wear the shirt.” She stated, “There are other comments, saying that they wanted people to leave, but these are their jobs. Behind the scenes, the commitment that these players put in week in and week out over the years, I admire it because they miss out on family functions, they miss out on funerals, they miss out on christenings, and that’s the commitment they give to their club. And nobody knows from one day to the next what these players are dealing with in their own lives and then having to deal with the online abuse; it’s not nice.” Sarah asserted that Derry City and the FAI should adopt a more stringent approach towards individuals who engage in online abuse of players and officials. While she refrained from explicitly demanding sanctions against those responsible, she emphasized the necessity for the club and FAI to establish policies ensuring that these individuals would be “held accountable.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.