Hello everyone,

Apologies for the late update, I've no excuse except my head was so wrecked with it all this year, I needed to take a step back.

So the week of the race, as usual, there were many media interviews and interest surrounding this yearly event. During one radio interview on East Coast FM with myself and later Cllr Tommy Annesley (Chairman of Arklow Seabreeze Festival) Shane McAuliffe  member of the IFA Pig Committee called into the show and he asked Tommy not to hold the pig race, as this year, many outdoor festivals across the country had cancelled pig events, due to the ongoing risk of African Swine Fever, which would be detrimental to the pig stock in Ireland. One case, could literally wipe out the entire industry. Tommy, tried to insinuate that sure the pigs in Arklow wouldn't have any effect, but Shane explained the seriousness of the case, and he also stated as a pig farmer himself, and an expert in the area, these races pose undue stress on the pigs, and their welfare is compromised as a result. So Tommy, relented, said he'd speak with the commitee and the race was indeed cancelled. 

However, rather than take the opportunity to explore a non animal and non cruel event to take it's place, the Arklow Seabreeze Committee decided to race sheep instead. 5 Sheep huddled together, as they had to endure 3 races in the middle of noisy boisterous crowd, up and down Arklow's main street. It was awful. Not only that, but they were locked in a trailer for about 4 hours after the race, as the farmer enjoyed some refreshments in one of the pubs. That's not including the time spent in the trailer getting too and from the town. This happens every year and has done for as long as I remember. The farmer stays in the town for a good few hours after the race and the pigs or in this case this year, the sheep are left in his trailer on a busy side street in the town. 

So that's it for another year, the fight goes on. Whether they race pigs or sheep next year is anyone's guess. The committee have been advised by the IFA (Irish Farmers Association) never to race pigs again, but I don't trust Arklow Seabreeze Festival at all. By the way, there was a public outcry online, when they raced the sheep. People are not happy. Nor should they be.

I will keep you posted with any new developments, and I thank you so much for your signatures and shares. 

Ciara.