Tim O’Leary has issued High Court proceedings against Mayo GAA seeking the return of a €150,000 donation and damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a row over governance spills over into the legal arena.

O'Leary has also threatened to issue a further lawsuit if he does not get an apology for an email sent by a Mayo county board officer which called him a "donkey".

The Irish Independent is reporting that his action seeking the return of the €150,000 was initiated yesterday, a week after a solicitor's letter on behalf of the board rejected a request for the money to be given back.

It comes at a sensitive time for the county's GAA hierarchy as a convention takes place tomorrow in Belmullet to elect officers to the board.