Fianna Fail Councillor Pat Hayes (Cork County Council) is chairman of the Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association, a body which shamefully defends the cruel bloodsport of fox hunting. The Irish Field reports that Hayes is also "master of Duhallow Hunt and former master of Iveagh Foxhounds". Photo of Hayes during a fox hunt ➡️ https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/theirishfield/WEBFILES/000/844/939/2283446-844939.jpg
In fox hunting, foxes are chased to exhaustion by a pack of hounds and hunters on horseback. When caught, the terrified foxes are knocked to the ground, bitten, disembowelled and pulled apart. If a fox tries to find refuge underground, the hunters release terriers to go down the hole where they corner and attack the fox. The hunters then dig the earth away from above and drag out the squealing and injured fox who is then mercilessly killed.
Find out more about Pat Hayes below and join calls on Fianna Fail to back a ban on cruel fox hunting.
ACTION ALERT
Contact Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin and tell him 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
Email Fianna Fail TDs and urge them to support Ruth Coppinger TD's Animal Health & Welfare (Ban On Fox Hunting) Bill when it returns to Dail Eireann.
john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie; brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie; niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie; michael.moynihan@oireachtas.ie; aindrias.moynihan@oireachtas.ie; Charlie.McConalogue@oireachtas.ie; jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie; darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; jack.chambers@oireachtas.ie; james.lawless@oireachtas.ie; sean.ofearghail@oireachtas.ie; sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie; willie.odea@oireachtas.ie; niall.collins@oireachtas.ie; Robert.Troy@oireachtas.ie; dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie; thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie; mary.butler@oireachtas.ie; minister@housing.gov.ie; peterchap.cleere@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.murnaneoconnor@oireachtas.ie; cathal.crowe@oireachtas.ie; timmy.dooley@oireachtas.ie; james.oconnor@oireachtas.ie; padraig.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; seamus.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie; christopher.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; patthecope.gallagher@oireachtas.ie; tom.brabazon@oireachtas.ie; shane.moynihan@oireachtas.ie; paul.mcauliffe@oireachtas.ie; shay.brennan@oireachtas.ie; catherine.ardagh@oireachtas.ie; john.lahart@oireachtas.ie; cormac@cormacdevlin.ie; albert.dolan@oireachtas.ie; john.connolly@oireachtas.ie; michael.cahill@oireachtas.ie; norma.foley@oireachtas.ie; naoise.ocearuil@oireachtas.ie; erin.mcgreehan@oireachtas.ie; aisling.dempsey@oireachtas.ie; tony.mccormack@oireachtas.ie; martin.daly@oireachtas.ie; eamon.scanlon@oireachtas.ie; ryan.omeara@oireachtas.ie; malcolm.byrne@oireachtas.ie
Contact all your local TDs. 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
Cllr Pat Hayes (Fianna Fail, Cork County Council)
“Pat Hayes is the new chair of the Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association. Hayes is master of Duhallow Hunt and former master of Iveagh Foxhounds” – Irish Field, 15 November 2024.
“Masters of the Duhallow Hunt attended including…Pat Hayes and his wife Dana” The Corkman, 20 Feb 2020 https://www.pressreader.com/ireland/the-corkman/20200220/281500753272771
“The Duhallow Foxhounds’ Pat Hayes MFH (Master of Foxhounds)…move off from Monymusk after a lawn meet hosted by Mrs Kate Jarvey MFH” – From “HUNTING: Dashing Duhallows”, Irish Field, 01 March 2019
“Joint-masters include Pat Hayes…The first draw was across the main Newmarket road near the old Kanturk railway and hounds found almost immediately…The music was fantastic before they pushed on towards the Island Wood, almost in Newmarket, where he [a fox] was marked to ground…It took just some time to persuade Reynard [fox] to leave Scanahan’s and at one stage, when they were at fault, huntsman had to look to third season Lawyer (by Waterford Ladder), who had been walked by Kate Jarvey, and he soon had the pack back on song…” From “HUNTING: Dashing Duhallows”, a foxhunt report in the Irish Field, 01 March 2019.
“The host Hunt Club was very well represented by three of their four current masters; the fourth was unfortunately unable to attend due to injury. These representatives were Matt Nagle and his wife, Regine; Pat Hayes and his wife, Donna; as well as Peter O’Meara and his wife Hilary.” from “Having a ball at the Duhallow Hunt bash”, The Corkman, February 16 2019.
“With masters Matt Nagle, Peter O’Meara and Pat Hayes at the helm, the trio looked suitably romantic on the night with red carnations…Pat Hayes, Baltydaniel; Peter O’Meara, Mallow, and Matthew Nagle, Buttevant, pictured at the Duhallow Hunt Ball in Springfort Hall Hotel.” from Masterly touches at colourful and fun Duhallow Hunt Ball, The Corkman, 18 Feb 2016 – https://www.pressreader.com/ireland/the-corkman/20160218/281573764756030 See Photo at https://i.prcdn.co/img?regionKey=l3GuNhICke%2fkPV%2bCaj77Qw%3d%3d
“The other Master out was Pat Hayes from Two Pot House who runs a country store in Mallow…At far end of Castlecor our pilot [a fox] was marked to ground and we pressed on and drew towards the water treatment plant. Kilbrin and it’s environs was awash with foxes on the day but sadly scent was in short supply and foxes sensing their impunity played ducks and drakes with hounds. We marked at least a brace [two foxes] to ground, which were left to enjoy a late lunch underground. But our morning enjoyable could only be looked on as an appetizer for what was to follow. Hounds went on to draw Neenan’s conifer plantation. Third season dog Paddler by Duhallow Parson having shown interest in in a particularly briary thicket, shot in one side and like the old penny in the slot machines, a fox shot out the other side. Woodland hunting resulted but not for long as our pilot [the fox] was viewed slipping away by young Adam Burke-Ott aged twelve but with the hunting experience of a veteran…Our huntsman blew his quarry to ground well over an hour after we found!” From “HUNTING: On a wing and a prayer”, a Duhallow Foxhounds hunt report, 2 December 2016.
Cllr Pat Hayes also saw the proposed closure as another attack on rural Ireland. from Youghal track closure ‘a hit on rural Ireland’, Irish Examiner, 17 December 2019.
“The biggest losers here are the trainers, the owners, jockeys, transport, it is part of rural Ireland Kanturk-Mallow Councillor Pat Hayes said he thought it was wrong that point-to-point races are closed down. “It is run 100% safe. To remove coursing as an elite sport was wrong. It is a rural pastime, we are a rural county and I think that this is part of our heritage and it has to be supported.” from Cork county councillors call for coursing and point-to-point races to be allowed to go ahead during lockdown, Evening Echo, 29 January 2021 https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/arid-40216748.html
At a meeting of Cork County Council on 9 January 2023, Cllr Pat Hayes shamefully voted AGAINST a motion calling on members to write to the Minister for Agriculture “to request that a nationwide ban on hare coursing be introduced.”
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
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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/