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87 coursing clubs in 22 counties will be terrorising hares during the upcoming coursing cruelty season.
Licences shamefully granted by Heritage Ministers Darragh O'Brien and Malcolm Noonan list the coursing clubs which may capture and tag thousands of hares for use in the bloodsport.
The animal cruelty clubs are located in Counties Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath and Wexford. They will be joined by clubs from Northern Ireland where coursing was banned over a decade ago.
The licences cover a 203-day period between 11th August 2023 and 29th February 2024.
The hares are currently being netted from the wild and will be held in captivity before being forced to run for their lives from pairs of greyhounds at coursing meetings between 1 October 2023 and 25 February 2024.
See copies of the licences at
https://www.npws.ie/licencesandconsents/hare-coursing
“All hares suffer fear and stress and every coursing season, hare injuries and deaths occur,” the Irish Council Against Blood Sports stated in an appeal to Minister O’Brien. “Among the injuries documented are broken back, spinal injury, broken legs, damaged toes and dislocated hips.”
Hares suffer at all stages of coursing – during capture, while held captive in compounds and at the coursing meetings where they can be seen desperately running as a merciless mob cheer the greyhounds on and gamble on which dog will force the hare to change direction first.
In a 28-page submission to Minister O'Brien, we
• Highlighted uncertainty over the number of hares in the country and the dramatic 42% fall in hare captures in the past decade (a worrying indication that hares are becoming more scarce).
• Questioned the Irish Hare's "favourable" status presented by the Department of Heritage.
• Noted that just 1 coursed hare was found alive in a survival study.
• Warned that the threat of the deadly, highly infectious RHD2 virus remains.
• Pointed to hare extinction in the capital's top "nature reserve".
Our appeal was also directed at Green Party Minister of State for Heritage Malcolm Noonan who has in the past condemned coursing, saying the appalling treatment of hares “highlights a shocking disregard for the welfare of the animals”. In 2020, he stated: “We all want to see hare coursing ended – it’s a cruel practice.”
Coursing is set to continue despite fears relating to the spread of disease, including RHD2, the highly contagious virus that can spread easily between hares and which, Minister O’Brien’s predecessor warned, could wipe out the Irish Hare species. Hares affected by the virus suffer the most horrendous death, with swollen eyelids, partial paralysis and bleeding from the eyes and mouth.
“The National Parks and Wildlife Service division of your department has made it clear that ‘the catching of hares in nets, their transportation in boxes and the collection and holding of hares in confined areas can all be considered to increase the risk of disease spread’,” we reminded Ministers O’Brien and Noonan. “The NPWS went on to state that ‘if one infected animal is found in netting for a coursing meeting then the entire capture would need to be put down.’”
In issuing the latest licences, Minister O’Brien has disregarded the majority view in Ireland that coursing should be banned. A RED C opinion poll confirmed that 77% are in favour of a ban while just 9% disagree with a ban.
ACTION ALERT
At the next general election and local elections, vote against politicians who support animal cruelty. Find out the views of politicians at https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2020/01/08/politicians-and-animal-cruelty-issues/
HELP THE HARES: Contact Heritage Minister Darragh O’Brien and Minister of State Malcolm Noonan and urge them to show compassion, respect the wishes of the majority and revoke the coursing licences.
Email “Revoke the 2023-24 licences for cruel hare coursing” to minister@housing.gov.ie; mos@housing.gov.ie
Minister Darragh O’Brien (Fianna Fail, Dublin Fingal)
Tel: (01) 618 3802 OR (086) 251 9893
Email: minister@housing.gov.ie; darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DarraghOBrienTD
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DarraghOBrienTD
Malcolm Noonan TD (Carlow Kilkenny)
Minister of State for Heritage
Tel: (01) 618 3148 OR (01) 618 3156
Email: mos@housing.gov.ie; malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/votemalcolmnoonan1/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/noonan_malcolm
With a RED C opinion poll confirming that a 77 per cent majority of citizens want hare coursing banned (with just 9% disagreeing with a ban), it is now time for politicians to consign this nasty bloodsport to history. Join us in contacting all TDs and urging them to act to ensure that a ban is urgently introduced. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details for TDs https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/33
Urge Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tanaiste Micheál Martin to respect the wishes of the majority and ban hare coursing and all bloodsports.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar
Telephone: +353 (0)1-640 3133
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Tanaiste Micheál Martin
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1–618 4350 or +353 (0)21-432 0088
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Contact Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour Party TDs and urge them to pledge support for Paul Murphy TD’s upcoming Animal Health & Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) Bill 2020 and Jennifer Whitmore TD's "Protection of Hares Bill 2023".
Fianna Fáil TDs
john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie; niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie; brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie; aindrias.moynihan@oireachtas.ie; michael.moynihan.td@oireachtas.ie; micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; michael.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie; Charlie.McConalogue@oireachtas.ie; sean.haughey@oireachtas.ie; jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie; darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; jack@jackchambers.ie; anne.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie; eamon.ocuiv@oireachtas.ie; james.lawless@oireachtas.ie; sean.ofearghail@oireachtas.ie; sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie; barry.cowen@oireachtas.ie; willie.odea@oireachtas.ie; niall.collins@oireachtas.ie; Robert.Troy@oireachtas.ie; dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie; thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie; marc.macsharry@oireachtas.ie; jackie.cahill@oireachtas.ie; mary.butler@oireachtas.ie; james.browne@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.murnaneoconnor@oireachtas.ie; cathal.crowe@oireachtas.ie; james.oconnor@oireachtas.ie; padraig.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; christopher.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; paul.mcauliffe@oireachtas.ie; john.lahart@oireachtas.ie; cormac@cormacdevlin.ie; normafoley1@eircom.net; joe.flaherty@oireachtas.ie; Stephen.Donnelly@oireachtas.ie
Fine Gael TDs
JohnPaul.Phelan@oireachtas.ie; Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie; joe.carey@oireachtas.ie; david.stanton@oir.ie; colm.burke@oireachtas.ie; michael.creed@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Coveney@oireachtas.ie; joe.mchugh@oireachtas.ie; richard.bruton@oireachtas.ie; Paschal.Donohoe@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Farrell@oireachtas.ie; emer.higgins@oireachtas.ie; neale.richmond@oireachtas.ie; josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie; colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.carrollmacneill@oireachtas.ie; Ciaran.Cannon@oireachtas.ie; hildegarde.naughton@oireachtas.ie; Brendan.Griffin@oireachtas.ie; bernard.durkan@oireachtas.ie; Martin.Heydon@oireachtas.ie; charles.flanagan@oireachtas.ie; kieran.odonnell@oireachtas.ie; Patrick.O’Donovan@oireachtas.ie; peter.burke@oireachtas.ie; fergus.odowd@oireachtas.ie; alan.dillon@oireachtas.ie; michael.ring@oireachtas.ie; helen.mcentee@oireachtas.ie; damien.english@oireachtas.ie; frank.feighan@oireachtas.ie; paul.kehoe@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Harris@oireachtas.ie
Green Party TDs
Eamon.Ryan@greenparty.ie; catherine.martin@oireachtas.ie; patrick.costello@oireachtas.ie; francisnoel.duffy@oireachtas.ie; neasa.hourigan@oireachtas.ie; brian.leddin@oireachtas.ie; steven.matthews@oireachtas.ie; malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie; joe.obrien@oireachtas.ie; marc.ocathasaigh@oireachtas.ie; roderic.ogorman@oireachtas.ie;
ossian.smyth@oireachtas.ie
Sinn Fein TDs
john.brady@oireachtas.ie; pat.buckley@oireachtas.ie; Sean.Crowe@oireachtas.ie; david.cullinane@oireachtas.ie; Pearse.Doherty@oireachtas.ie; dessie.ellis@oir.ie; kathleen.funchion@oireachtas.ie; martinkennysf@gmail.com; MaryLou.McDonald@oireachtas.ie; denise.mitchell@oireachtas.ie; imelda.munster@oireachtas.ie; eoin.obroin@oireachtas.ie; donnchadh.olaoghaire@oireachtas.ie; aengus.osnodaigh@oireachtas.ie; louiseoreillysf@gmail.com; maurice.quinlivan@oireachtas.ie; Brian.Stanley@oireachtas.ie; mark.ward@oireachtas.ie; chris.andrews@oireachtas.ie; martin.browne@oireachtas.ie; matt.carthy@oireachtas.ie; sorca.clarke@oireachtas.ie; roseconwaywalsh@eircom.net; reada.cronin@oireachtas.ie; pa.daly@oireachtas.ie; paul.donnelly@oireachtas.ie; mairead.farrell@oireachtas.ie; thomas.gould@oireachtas.ie; johnny.guirke@oireachtas.ie; claire.kerrane@oireachtas.ie; padraig.maclochlainn@oir.ie; johnny.mythen@oireachtas.ie; ruairi.omurchu@oireachtas.ie; darren.orourke@oireachtas.ie; patriciaryan975@gmail.com; pauline.tully@oireachtas.ie
Labour Party TDs
ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie; sean.sherlock@oireachtas.ie; aodhan.oriordain@oireachtas.ie; duncan.smith@oireachtas.ie; gerald.nash@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Kelly@oireachtas.ie; brendan.howlin@oireachtas.ie
Please sign and share the petitions
Sinn Fein: Support a ban on cruel hare coursing
https://www.change.org/p/sinn-fein-support-a-ban-on-cruel-hare-coursing
Ireland – Ban cruel hare coursing
http://www.change.org/p/ireland-ban-cruel-hare-coursing
Please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
https://twitter.com/banbloodsports
https://www.instagram.com/banbloodsports/
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports
Witness the cruelty of hare coursing in Ireland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Dm0mmXYcv8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVIKc2CS4ko
COURSING CLUBS LISTED ON 2023-24 CAPTURE AND TAGGING LICENCES
CARLOW
Carlow
CAVAN
Cavan
CLARE
Ennis & Clarecastle
Killimer & Kilrush
Liscannor
Miltown Malbay
South Clare
Tradaree
CORK
Bandon & Careys Cross
Charleville
Churchtown South Open
Clonakilty
Cork
Cork County Open
Dromina Open
Fermoy & Grange
Glanworth
Macroom
Mallow
Milford Open
Millstreet
Mitchelstown
Rathcormac
DONEGAL
East Donegal
DUBLIN
Balbriggan
GALWAY
Galway & Oranmore
Loughrea
KERRY
Abbeydorney
Ballyduff
Ballyheigue
Castleisland
County Kerry
Kilflynn
Listowel
Lixnaw
KILDARE
Athy Open
Newbridge Open
Old Kilcullen
Roseberry Open
KILKENNY
Freshford
Johnstown & Urlingford
Mooncoin
North Kilkenny
Sevenhouses
LAOIS
Borris-in-Ossory
Rathdowney
LIMERICK
Abbeyfeale
Ardpatrick & Kilfinane
County Limerick (Irish Cup)
Doon & District
Fedamore Open
Galbally
Glin
Limerick City
Newcastle West
Rathkeale
Regional
LOUTH
Dundalk & Dowdallshill
MAYO
Westport
MEATH
Duleek Open
Leinster Open
Trim
OFFALY
Ballinagar
Edenderry
ROSCOMMON
Roscommon United
SLIGO
Tubbercurry - Kilcreevin/Ballymote
TIPPERARY
Borrisoleigh
Cashel
Clonmel & District Open
Clonmel & Kilsheelan
Crohan & Killenaule
Fethard Open
Knockgraffon
Knockgraffon Open
National Meeting (Clonmel)
Nenagh
Templetouhy
Thurles
Tipperary District
WATERFORD
Cappoquinn
Dungarvan
Waterford
WESTMEATH
Westmeath United
WEXFORD
Enniscorthy
Gorey
New Ross
Wexford