An RTE Guide columnist has condemned hare coursing as savage cruelty and urged members of the public to push politicians "to make hare coursing illegal".
Writing in the 30 September 2024 edition of the RTE Guide, nature activist Mary Reynolds praised the Irish Hare as "a national treasure, emblematic of Ireland’s unique biodiversity" and “a creature whose essence is woven deeply into the fabric of Ireland's cultural and natural heritage” but noted that although it is supposed to be a protected species, it is not protected from bloodsports.
The column headed “Leaping into Oblivion”, outlined that "being a protected species doesn't protect the Irish Hare from the brutal sport of coursing". Coursing was denounced as a "hypocritical cruelty that needs to end".
Mary went on to state that in the past, hares were hunted for meat and this “evolved into an excuse for violence against our vulnerable shared kin - under the guise of a traditional ‘sport’, savage cruelty is visited upon the hare.”
She told readers that the Irish Hare has been “legally protected since 1930 in the Republic of Ireland, firstly under the Game Preservation Act and then in 1976 by the Wildlife Act and Wildlife (Amendment) Act (2000)” but that “as is so often the way in Ireland, it’s all greenwash”.
“The hare is ‘legally protected’ unless you ask nicely and get a licence [for coursing], whereupon you can legally get your kicks from using dogs to trap and terrorise the precious creatures for fun,” she continued. “Being pursued, cornered and ‘turned’ by muzzled dogs, typically in a fenced-in space, could lead to their death anyway: the shock alone would kill them.”
Mary also highlighted how modern farming negatively impacts wildlife: “Back in the day, not that long ago, before farming became the mechanised monster it is today, farmers always left a hares' corner in their fields - an island in the centre or just the corners of the field were left to grow long and wild to allow space for the hares to find safe haven. Farmers still understood that hares were closely related to the fairy world who they really did not want to upset. And so they shared their land with them.”
This has largely changed because “much of Ireland is now just one big farm, hostile to everything that cannot have a profit wrung from it”.
In the column, Mary also focused on the fact that while greyhound racing received over €19 million in funding in the latest budget, “our only wildlife rescue hospital (in Kildare) and the many heroic, voluntary rehabilitation experts across the country who are trying their best to protect and save hares and other precious creatures, are given nothing - nada, zilch, that’s a big fat zero of the budget.”
“A significant number of people here – many presumably taxpayers – advocate for animal rights and wildlife conservation,” she added. “Many citizens support a ban on hare coursing, viewing it as an outdated practice that does not align with modern values regarding the treatment of animals. While hare coursing is illegal without a ‘licence’, reports of illegal coursing activities still happen and wildlife crime is rarely punished. Yet, although the majority of us want this stopped, licences are still granted for hare coursing, and this ‘right’ is seemingly more important than protecting our shared heritage.”
She concluded by urging people to get in touch with politicians to demand protection for hares:
“Although the government has publicly announced that we are in a biodiversity crisis, an emergency, there is still not enough being done when it comes to the capturing and terrorising of these defenceless animals. It’s time we pushed for our local councillors and TDs to make hare coursing illegal. Pile the pressure on, we need to be louder than the lowest common denominator and force them to do better.”
Help hares in your area - Some of Mary Reynolds’ top tips
Hares thrive in areas with cover for shelter and foraging. Allow a portion of your garden to grow into an Ark: with long grass and dense vegetation. This provides essential hiding spots for hares and encourages a variety of other wildlife.
Avoiding the use of pesticides.
Hares are herbivores, primarily feeding on grasses, herbs and leaves. Allowing room for clover, dandelions and other leafy greens will attract hares and provide them with sustenance.
Ensure that hares have access to fresh water.
Minimise disturbances in your garden.
Ensure your fences are hare-friendly - low fencing or gaps can allow hares to move freely while still keeping them safe from predators. Avoid using barbed wire or other harsh materials that can harm wildlife.
A big thank you to Mary Reynolds for speaking up for Irish Hares and pushing for a ban on hare coursing. Read her column in the RTE Guide. Find out more about her and her mission to “re-educate people how to live in harmony with nature in their own patch of land” at https://wearetheark.org/about-mary/
Buy the book “We Are The Ark: Returning Our Gardens to Their True Nature with Acts of Restorative Kindness” https://marymary.ie/shop-2
ICABS ACTION ALERT
Contact Heritage Minister Darragh O’Brien and Minister of State for Nature Malcolm Noonan and urge them to show compassion, revoke the coursing licences and give full protection to the Irish Hare. Email “Revoke the 2024-25 licences for cruel hare coursing” to minister@housing.gov.ie; mos@housing.gov.ie
Minister Darragh O’Brien (Fianna Fail, Dublin Fingal)
Minister for Heritage
Tel: (01) 618 3802 OR (086) 251 9893
Email: darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; minister@housing.gov.ie; natureconservation@housing.gov.ie; WildlifeLicence@housing.gov.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DarraghOBrienTD
X: http://twitter.com/DarraghOBrienTD
Malcolm Noonan TD (Green Party, Carlow Kilkenny)
Minister of State for Nature
Tel: (01) 618 3148 OR (01) 618 3156
Email: mos@housing.gov.ie; malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MinisterMalcolmNoonan/
X: 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
Witness the cruelty of hare coursing in Ireland