Foxes forced to run for their lives during Meath hunt

Mise à jour sur la pétitionBan Blood Sports in IrelandFoxes forced to run for their lives during Meath hunt

Irish Council Against Blood SportsMullingar, Irlande

25 juil. 2025

Foxes were forced to run for their lives during a hunt in County Meath.

A report in the Irish Field (7 December 2024) outlined that at the start of the shameful Meath Foxhounds hunt, “hounds took the followers on a nice crisp run through Betty Curry’s and on over Cathal Smith’s into Joe Roger’s where hounds marked [a fox] to ground.”

In fox hunting terminology, “marked to ground” refers to the point when the pack of hounds chase the fox into an earth or drain and 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 in the day a fox was terrorised in Boyerstown - “hounds enjoyed hunting in the covert in great voice, as this fellow was determined not to leave.” The fate of this unfortunate fox was not revealed.

Another fox was chased “in a large circle over good hunting country”.

Towards the end of the hunt, one more fox was targeted. He was forced to run from an old derelict cottage. The Irish Field report described the scene - “after much excitement in getting him away, he eventually broke cover and gave the followers a sharp 20-minute fast run.”

This fox was said to run for a distant shore and was left there “for another day”.

This hunt, which started out from Ardbraccan House was “hosted by US businessman and bloodstock breeder Charlie Noell who, with his business partner John J Moores, are directors of Brown Advisors, who sponsor racing in Ireland, UK and the USA”. Noell welcomed the hunt followers “with a fine display of refreshments”.

Among those hunting was “Olivia Duff, the owner the Headford Arms Hotel in Kells, a favourite venue for a hunt ball”.

Shame on the Irish Government for allowing this bloodsport to continue in 2024. 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.

ACTION ALERT

Boycott the Headford Arms Hotel in Kells and any other business associated with fox hunting.

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

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