Concern has been expressed to Aer Lingus over a troubling hunt report which stated that a foxhunter pilot “would bank the Jumbo Boeing 747 around the hunt country before landing” to observe activities on farmland (to help the hunt in the planning of hunt routes).
The now deceased pilot was said to be “very helpful” to the Fingal Harriers fox hunt.
The report published in the Irish Field newspaper dated 10 November 2023 stated: “At the [hunt] meet was Robert Hoban, whose late father Sean hunted with the pack and served on the committee. I knew Sean well, as I whipped in and hunted the Fingals [Fingal Harriers Hunt] for a number of seasons. Sean was very helpful when we were planning hunt meets, as he was an Aer Lingus pilot on the trans-Atlantic route to New York and Boston, and he kept us up to date on harvesting in the hunt area. He would bank the Jumbo Boeing 747 around the hunt country before landing to see which farmers were harvesting, baling straw and ploughing. I am sure the passengers enjoyed their close-up view of the landscape, often their first view of the Irish countryside and totally unaware of Sean’s motives.” https://www.theirishfield.ie/sport-horse/other-disciplines/hunting-ditches-aplenty-for-the-fingal-harriers-season-opener-791266
“It is extremely concerning that any Aer Lingus pilot would do anything other than concentrate on preparing for landing on the approach to Dublin Airport and that the angle of an aircraft full of passengers would be in any way altered to facilitate ‘close-up view’ observation of the ground,” we stated in a message to Aer Lingus this week.
ACTION ALERT
It’s time for a ban on cruel fox hunting in Ireland. Please get in touch with your local TDs and tell them to back a ban. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/34
Contact the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Sinn Fein and the Labour Party. Tell them that you want fox hunting and all bloodsports banned.
Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Tel: 01 619 4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Simon Harris TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01 281 3727
Email: simon.harris@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
X: http://www.twitter.com/SimonHarrisTD
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeputySimonHarris
Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Ivana Bacik TD
Leader, The Labour Party
Tel: (01) 6183136
Email: ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ivanabacik
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bacikivana/
Keep hunters off your land
If you are a landowner, make your land off-limits to hunters. Find out more about how to do this on our Farmers/Landowners Page – http://www.banbloodsports.com/farmers.htm
Ban Fox Hunting Ireland
https://www.change.org/p/ban-fox-hunting-ireland
Witness the cruelty of foxhunting at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHm_6lg5ZLA