Aoife Farrelly BL

My work focuses principally on general civil litigation.  I represent both plaintiffs and defendants before all Courts.

Civil Law: I have a busy personal injuries practice, both High Court and Circuit and I work on the Eastern circuit practice representing clients in employment law; probate and family law.

Child Law/Adoption: A large portion of my work involves child law, primarily High Court adoption applications.

Mediation/ADR: I am an accredited mediator and with my interest in Sports Law, I have am regularly instructed as mediator in Sports law disputes.  I am on the panel of Arbitrators for Sports Disputes Solutions Ireland.

Personal: I have a personal interest in Sports Law, as much of my free time is taken up with the administration of local and national sporting issues.

I act for the Child and Family Agency in a range of High Court adoption applications.

I act as Counsel for the South East Commission (formerly Hickson Commission), a Commission of Inquiry, established pursuant to statute.

Examples of some of my recent cases include:

Central Hearings Committee, Gaelic Athletic Association –

Disciplinary committee Member of the Central Hearings Committee of the GAA.

Disciplinary hearings for national competitions within the GAA.

Sports Dispute Solutions Ireland (SDSI) – Member of the Panel of Arbitrators Dispute resolution service for Irish Sport offering mediation and arbitration facility. Regularly engaged in world sport dispute resolution.

Appointed to the panel of arbitrators in January 2020 to hear and determine disputes arising in sporting codes.

Disputes Resolution Authority 2007 – 2021

The DRA is an independent body charged with the implementation of the disputes resolution code within the GAA. The Authority maintains a panel of arbitrators from which it establishes arbitration tribunals to deal with disputes referred to it. I was a member of the arbitration panel from 2007 until my appointment to Central Hearings in 2021. During that time, I acted as Chair of many high profile disputes, with written published decisions of precedential value within the GAA.

Bar Review December 2023,

Consult on Complaints with Peter Stafford BL

Bar Review October 2023 and Bar of Ireland Podcast

Mediating Personal Injuries Disputes with Cathy Smith SC

The Fifth Court Podcast Series

Sports Arbitration with Susan Ahern BL December 2023

Sports Law Bar Association

Speaker on Disciplinary Fairness – Annual Conference November 2023

Review of Law Reform Commission Consultation Paper on Clubs and Societies March 2023

Winner Alright – review of Heads of Gambling Bill, November 2021

Insurance Institute of Ireland Covid 19 Impact on Claims July 2020

Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Introduction to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion April 2023

Meath Solicitors Bar Association – General Data Protection Regulation 2018

Member of the Council of the Bar of Ireland 2020-2023, Chair of Equality & Resilience Committee 2022/2023.

Chair of Sports Law Bar Association 2024

Member of the Education Committee of the Honorable Society of Kings Inns.

Member of the Exams Board Committee of the Honourable Society of Kings Inns

Member of Leinster Hearings Committee, Gaelic Athletic Association.

Executive Member of Trim GAA, Insurance Officer.

The world of arbitration in sport. Fantastic insight into the similarities and the differences between how the rules and regulations of different sporting codes are applied, both in Ireland and across the globe. Sports arbitration barristers Aoife Farrelly who has a major involvement with the GAA (and tug-of-war!) is joined by barrister Susan Ahern who has worked with World Rugby at the highest levels, as they explain penalties and processes to our hosts, Peter Leonard BL and Mark Tottenham BL.

Mediating Personal Injuries Disputes | Cathy Smith SC & Aoife Farrelly BL

Aspiring Lawyers Talk Inclusivity at the Bar | Black History Month