Foxes were terrorised by a pack of 33 dogs during a hunt in Fethard, County Tipperary.
A report in the Irish Field (1 Nov 2024), focusing on a Tipperary Foxhounds hunt, outlined that “hounds drew the old railway line just outside town” where a fox was disturbed and ran for his life in “a short dash towards the Cashel Road”.
The hounds were then brought to a property described as “John Halley’s of Fethard Veterinary [Fethard Equine Hospital] and master of the County Limerick Foxhounds”.
The Irish Field report added: “Following the family tradition were [Fethard Equine Hospital vet] David Halley (MRCVS) and brother Jack Halley, who runs the iconic Hayes’ Hotel in Liberty Square, Thurles...both out [hunting] and well mounted, they showed the way on the family farm.”
The hounds “had barely touched down in Halley’s wood” when two foxes were seen running. The dogs and foxes “ran for Dr Condon’s spinney, only to return almost as quickly to Halley’s well-maintained covert”. There, “woodland hunting ensued”.
It was not revealed if the two foxes escaped or were caught by the dogs and torn asunder on the vet’s land.
Later in the day, two more foxes ran for their lives - “hounds were quickly on and ran for Moyglass, before swinging right-handed and crossing the road, running back to a disused quarry, which was not accessible to horses.”
The fate of these foxes is also unclear.
After this, the dogs were brought to Power’s wood where, according to the report, “sadly...there was no fox”.
During the hunting season, the Tipperary Foxhounds terrorise foxes twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Shame on the Irish Government for allowing this bloodsport to continue. 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
Urge the Veterinary Council of Ireland to act to stop veterinary involvement in fox hunting.
Niamh Muldoon
CEO, Veterinary Council of Ireland
53 Lansdowne Road
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
Tel: +353 (0) 1 668 4402
Email: niamh.muldoon@vci.ie
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
http://revolut.me/icabs
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/
Limerick vet is joint-master of foxhunt
https://www.change.org/p/ban-blood-sports-in-ireland/u/24219701