Foxes were terrorised by a pack of 25 dogs during a recent North Galway Foxhounds hunt.
A report in the Irish Field (20 February 2026), outlined that “hounds found quickly” off the main Galway Road at the start of the hunt but as the fox was “heading in the wrong direction”, the chase was stopped.
After crossing the Black River “hounds found again” and a fox was seen running for his life.
Later, “the huntsman headed down towards the Mart and into more ground of Ray Lee’s, where the pack found again”.
According to the report, the dogs “marked this fox at the back of a shed beside a derelict house”.
It is unknown if this fox survived or was torn apart by the hounds. In fox hunting terminology, “marked” to ground refers to the point when the pack of hounds chase the fox into an earth or drain. 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.
During the hunting season, the North Galway Foxhounds terrorise foxes twice a week on Sundays and Wednesdays.
Shame on the Irish Government for allowing this bloodsport to continue. 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. The poll found that just 13% of people in Ireland are in favour of hunting animals for sport, including a mere 3% "strongly in favour".
DID YOU KNOW? Irish taxpayer-funded Horse Racing Ireland has handed out €13,796,550 to hunts since 2014 (in the form of point-to-point racing grants), including over €1.7 million in 2024. The North Galway Foxhounds hunt has received €122,450, including €18,800 in 2024.
ACTION ALERT
Help get fox hunting banned in Ireland
Please get in touch with all your local TDs and urge them to pledge support for a ban on cruel fox hunting in Ireland. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/34
Contact the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Sinn Fein. 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
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
Sign and share Uplift’s “Ban Fox Hunting” petition
https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/petition-to-ban-fox-hunting-in-ireland
Watch our campaign video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXtb77WD6yI
Please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports
http://revolut.me/icabs