Clonmel-based charity C-SAW (Community Suicide Awareness Workers) has been asked to reject a fundraiser organised by a fox hunt.

The "Charity Fundraiser Hunting Day" is set to take place this Sunday 28 December 2025 and involves the Ballyluskey White Heather Harriers hunt. This hunt is affiliated to the Irish Foot Harriers Association; it previously hunted hares and now "only hunts fox".

Such fundraisers are typically used by hunts to try and get some positive publicity for themselves and divert attention away from the ugly reality of the hunting and killing wildlife. 

A post on a hunting page on Facebook encourages hunters to "get behind this [C-SAW fundraiser]...especially given the current climate..." 

Fox hunting involves abhorrent animal cruelty. Foxes are chased by packs of hounds and when caught, they are knocked to the ground, bitten, disembowelled and pulled apart. The vast majority of people in Ireland want this bloodsport banned. The latest Ireland Thinks opinion poll (conducted in November 2025) shows that 87% are opposed to the hunting of animals for sport. 81% of respondents to the poll who expressed an opinion, agree that fox hunting as a sport should be banned in Ireland. 

Brought to C-SAW’s attention was a photograph taken at a past Ballyluskey White Heather Harriers hunt fundraiser showing a running fox https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10210880571366875&set=a.10210878674479454

The charity has also been told that during the recent Dail debate on Ruth Coppinger TD’s bill to ban fox hunting, among those who voted in support of the bill was Clonmel-based TD, Seamus Healy, who noted that "fox hunting is a barbaric activity" and that "every poll and survey shows a significant majority of the public, both urban and rural, are opposed to fox hunting and want a ban to be introduced." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6OXndumdUc&t=914s
 
“While we acknowledge the vital role fundraisers play in sustaining your important, life-saving work, we hope you will consider disassociating from an activity responsible for causing suffering and death in the countryside,” we stated in our appeal.

Over the years, many charities have rejected donations from hunts. For example, LauraLynn stated that a donation from a fox hunt group was accepted in error. A spokesperson for the children's hospice charity commented: “It has come to our attention that in December 2023 a donation from South Westmeath Hunt, was accepted by LauraLynn in error. A review of all our processes, including our fundraising policy, is currently underway to prevent this kind of error occurring in the future."

Previously, Pieta House was thanked for rejecting a 2016 "Hunt for Light" hunt fundraiser in Tipperary. A spokesperson commented at the time: “We cannot be seen to have an association with or endorsement of bloodsports, and so we feel it would be inappropriate for us to benefit from or to be associated with a hunt. People across Ireland are so incredibly supportive of Pieta House, but in some cases - such as this one - the manner of the fundraiser is incompatible."

The Hope Foundation also turned down a fundraiser organised by a hunt in Cork. The charity contacted the organisers of the fundraiser to say "we do not wish to have this fundraiser carried out in the name of HOPE."  

ACTION ALERT

Appeal to C-SAW to reject the fox hunt fundraiser.

24 William Street
Clonmel, Co.Tipperary.
Email: csawtipperary@gmail.com
Tel: 052 61 72477

If you wish to support the work of C-SAW, visit
https://csaw.ie/donate/