A Fianna Fail councillor was among those who shamefully participated in a five and a half hour hunt during which foxes were forced to run for their lives across “an enormous amount of country” in County Cork.
A report in the Irish Field outlined that at the start of the Duhallow hunt, “hounds crossed the road to draw Con O’Keeffe’s large plantation” where the first fox of the day was targeted.
According to the 23 December 2024 report, the hunters and dogs “hunted up and down the substantial woodland” and “hunted on through the old creamery farm and through Gurteenard Stud” and “hunted on through Hurner’s Wood before marking to ground near Philpotts’”.
The fate of this fox was not revealed but in fox hunting terminology, “marked to ground” refers to the point when the pack of hounds chase the fox into an earth or drain. This is typically followed by the arrival of the hunt’s terriermen who cruelly catch the fox using shovels, spades and terriers before the doomed animal is pulled out and brutally killed.
Later, hounds terrorised another fox in a different plantation and “a really decent hunt resulted over some smashing country, running in a big left-handed circle through Cotters before finishing back in Hurner’s Wood”
Among those shamefully participating in the hunt were:
Duhallow hunt whipper-in and Mallow solicitor Kevin O’Meara “whose brother David has been hunt secretary since 1989”.
Fox hunt joint-master and Fianna Fail Councillor Pat Hayes (Cork County Council). Hayes, described as “a real keen hunting man”, is chairman of the Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association, a body which shamefully defends the cruel bloodsport. He is also a former master of Iveagh Foxhounds in Northern Ireland.
Shame on the Irish Government for allowing this bloodsport to continue in 2025. A RED C opinion poll, commissioned by the Irish Council Against Blood Sports, shows that a 77% majority (in both urban and rural areas) agree that the government should ban fox hunting. The poll found that just 12 per cent disagree with a ban.
TAKE ACTION
Help get fox hunting banned in Ireland
Contact all your local TDs and urge them to support Deputy Coppinger's Animal Health & Welfare (Ban On Fox Hunting) Bill when it returns to Dail Eireann. Visit the Oireachtas website for email addresses and phone numbers for TDs 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, hare coursing 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
Watch our campaign video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG9rMlE3VAQ
Please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports
SEE ALSO
Ruth Coppinger's "Ban Fox Hunting" bill progresses despite shameful attempt to block it
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2025/05/29/ruth-coppingers-ban-fox-hunting-bill-progresses-despite-shameful-attempt-to-block-it/
Old excuses for fox hunting won't wash - it's time to outlaw barbaric bloodsport
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2025/05/30/old-excuses-for-fox-hunting-wont-wash-its-time-to-outlaw-barbaric-bloodsport/
Disgust at Sinn Fein’s attempt to block “Ban Fox Hunting” bill
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2025/05/31/disgust-at-sinn-feins-attempt-to-block-ban-fox-hunting-bill/
Máiría Cahill: Rural stance no big surprise, but Sinn Fein vote on fox-hunt ban a sly move
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2025/06/01/mairia-cahill-rural-stance-no-big-surprise-but-sinn-fein-vote-on-fox-hunt-ban-a-sly-move/