Search icon

Sport

06th Jun 2016

Martin O’Neill has apologised for ‘queers’ comments made in Cork last week

Conor Heneghan

The Ireland manager issued the apology in Cork on Monday afternoon.

Ireland manager Martin O’Neill has apologised for comments he made involving the use of the term “queers” at an event in Cork last week.

O’Neill and Roy Keane were guests at an event hosted Matt Cooper in Cork Opera House and O’Neill made the comments after he was asked about a trip to the Superbowl with Keane earlier this year.

Republic of Ireland Squad Training, Fota Island Resort, Cork 1/6/2016 Manager Martin O'Neill with Assistant Manager Roy Keane Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Donall Farmer

O’Neill said that Steve Guppy and Steve Walford, who are both part of the Irish coaching set-up, also attended the Superbowl with O’Neill and Keane and that he didn’t want people to think that he and his assistant manager were “queers”.

Asked about the comments at a press conference on Monday afternoon, O’Neill said: “Yes, I was going to address this.

“If I have made inappropriate comments in the Opera House in Cork on Wednesday evening, I obviously apologise for it and I will attempt for the rest of my time here not to make such inappropriate comments.”

LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!