Galway GAA sponsors Supermac's have issued a statement calling on the county board to explain how the money they provided was spent and to make public the results of two financial reviews.
GAA authorities and accounting firm Mazars were brought in to examine the state of the county's finances last year and a meeting in December last year heard concerns expressed over practices in the period of 2015-17.
The use of an official credit card for personal expenses, officer expenses of €45,000 and a debt of €390,000 to Croke Park for All-Ireland final tickets were among the revelations.
A 103-acre site in Athenry that was bought in 2006 for €2.8m and earmarked for a centre of excellence was sold at a loss of almost €2m last year.
Supermac's, the restaurant chain founded by Galway native Pat McDonagh, has been a sponsor of at least one of the county's teams since 1991 and has now demanded clarity on where their total contributions of almost €1.6 million over the last five years have gone.
"Supermac's would like to detail that the amount of sponsorship given by Supermac’s to Galway GAA for the sponsored teams over the past 5 years to date is over €1.25m in direct payments plus over €340,000 in ancillary sponsorship," said a statement on the Supermac's website.
"Supermac's would like to seek clarification from the Galway County Board as to how this money was spent.
"Supermac's raised financial concerns with the Galway County Board 4 years ago.
"Supermac’s understands that two investigations have taken place into the finances of Galway GAA; One conducted by Galway GAA and a second conducted by Mazars.
"Supermac’s is calling for these investigations to be made public immediately. The vast majority of the Galway GAA public and mentors, who give their time voluntarily for the promotion and administration of our games and the welfare of our players, deserve no less."
