Presidential election candidate Heather Humphreys shamefully performed the opening ceremony at a game fair which featured hunters, hunting hounds and competitions for dogs used in hunting.
In 2015, as Minister for Arts and Heritage (with responsibility for the Wildlife Act), Heather Humphreys made her way to Birr Castle in County Offaly to attend Birr Game Fair which promoted itself as being of interest to “the most discerning” hunters and shooters.
At a time when Heather Humphreys refused to meet groups campaigning against cruelty to Irish wildlife, she was more than happy to perform the opening ceremony at an event which attracted those who blast wildlife to death, unleash lurchers and terriers to attack and kill foxes and use packs of hounds to terrorise and tear foxes apart.
Minister Humphreys was photographed next to hunting representatives at the game fair. She was a “VIP Guest” of the National Association of Regional Game Councils (NARGC) whose members are responsible for the shooting of tens of thousands of foxes, deer, birds and other creatures every year.
A report in the Autumn 2015 edition of Country Sports and Country Life magazine quoted one of the fair’s organisers as saying: “We were particularly pleased to welcome special VIPS to Birr Game Fair, including the Italian Ambassador along with the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys, TD, as guests of the National Association of Regional Game Councils (NARGC) to perform the official opening ceremony.” http://www.countrysportsandcountrylife.com/pdf/magazine/Autumn2015.pdf#page=35
He went on to say that the fair, which took place on 29-30 August 2015, “proved to be the greatest promotional platform for the promotion and defence of country sports in Ireland”.
The pro-hunting organisations in attendance included not only NARGC but also Countryside Alliance Ireland and the Hunting Association of Ireland. Also there were horseback hunters from the Grallagh Harriers hunt who “put on a very smart hound display”.
The fair featured competitions for dogs used in hunting - gun dogs, terriers and lurchers. A “Five Nations International Terrier & Lurcher Championship” event was sponsored by Red Mills.
The presidential election will take place on Friday 24 October 2025. Please reject Heather Humphreys and give your number 1 vote to anti-bloodsports candidate Catherine Connolly.
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