The ‘GAA catfish’ series by Irish comedy podcasting duo ‘The 2 Johnnies’ has taken the internet by storm once again after the release of the latest episode last week.
Originally told over two episodes on their podcast back in 2022, the pair decided to revisit the topic after finding out that the ‘GAA catfish’ was allegedly still active.
The story has generated discussions around the dangers of interacting with strangers online and the need for more action to tackle the issue by legislators and social media companies.
More: GAA Catfish alleged fraudster is from Co Armagh and has targeted a Derry GAA star
What is ‘catfishing’?
‘Catfishing’ involves the creation of a fake online persona or identity with the intent to deceive another person into a romantic relationship.
Victims who have been ‘catfished’ are often left feeling shame or embarrassment and, in some instances, have sent the perpetrator money.
According to a survey from Statista, around one-in-five people said they had been ‘catfished’ in the UK between 2022 and 2023
What is the ‘GAA Catfish’ scandal?
In 2022, Johnny O’Brien (Johnny ‘B’) sat down with co-host Johnny McMahon (Johnny ‘Smacks’) to discuss his experience of being ‘catfished’.
While data would suggest that being ‘catfished’ is a relatively common occurrence online, Johnny B claims that his experience of being catfished by a fake profile with the name ‘Cora O’Donovan’ was part of a large-scale catfishing operation conducted by one individual.
In the original two episodes, the Co Tipperary men explained how their investigations led them to believe that a large number of young men, a lot of whom were GAA players or in the entertainment industry, had been deceived by the same person online.
Through an elaborate set of profiles which interacted with each other, they claim that one woman called ‘Nikki’ (a fake name to protect her identity), had duped countless men – many of whom had reached out to share their stories with the podcasters.
Why is everyone talking about the ‘GAA catfish’ again?
While the original story first garnered attention in 2022, the duo said they felt “compelled” to make a third part to the series.
“When we released the GAA catfish podcast, we never intended to revisit the topic or produce a third episode,” they said in a statement.
“However, in recent months, several individuals have reached out to us and as we began to understand the scale of the issue, we felt compelled to take action.
“Our goal is not to harm or shame anyone but to ignite a critical conversation and help prevent further harm.”
In the latest episode released on January 13, the pair say the alleged perpetrator was still actively ‘catfishing’ GAA players under the alias ‘Aoife Kennedy’.
Who is the ‘GAA catfish’?
Rumours have circulated online about the identity of the woman alleged to be behind the various fake accounts involved in the scandal.
The 2 Johnnies podcasters have not revealed the identity of the individual or those of any alleged victims.
On Monday, The Irish News revealed that she is believed to be from Co Armagh.
