Two hares hit and 1 “grabbed” by greyhound at Galbally coursing

Petition updateBan Blood Sports in IrelandTwo hares hit and 1 “grabbed” by greyhound at Galbally coursing

Irish Council Against Blood SportsMullingar, Ireland

May 22, 2026

Hares were terrorised at a coursing meeting in Galbally, County Limerick and one was grabbed by a greyhound who “slipped its muzzle”.

The sickening details are contained in documents recently published on the website of the National Parks and Wildlife Service – which disgracefully licenses the bloodsport on behalf of Heritage Minister James Browne.

The documents show that on Day 1 of the animal cruelty event (31 December 2025), 1 hare was hit four times and another was caught and pinned to the ground.

A NPWS ranger who was there to monitor the abuse of the hares reported:

“1 hare [with ear tag number 73] was pinned, where the dog slipped its muzzle and grabbed the hare.” The ranger added that the coursing club’s vet “inspected the hare and was happy it was ok, noting a small bit of hair was missing”.

The ranger went on to state: “Hare number 95 was hit during the 6th course of the Oaks stakes (hit x4 in this one instance). The vet also inspected this individual and deemed the hare to be ok. No medication or treatment was administered.”

On Day 2 (New Year’s Day 2026), the ranger witnessed another hare suffering a hit - “one hit was recorded (tag no. 78), which was inspected by the vet and confirmed to be ok.”

Before the start of the coursing, this vet - whose name has been redacted - had shamefully certified the hares “fit to course”.

The hares who were hit and pinned were among 30 netted from the wild between between 8 November and 21 December 2025. After the coursing ordeal, they were released back to the wild on New Year’s Day in Counties Limerick, Tipperary and Cork. They had been in captivity for up to 55 days.

It’s time for a ban on hare coursing. Join us in urging the Irish Government to respect the wishes of the majority and bring this cruel bloodsport to an end..

ACTION ALERT

Complain to the Veterinary Council of Ireland about veterinary involvement in hare coursing.

Niamh Muldoon, CEO

Veterinary Council of Ireland

53 Lansdowne Road

Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, D04 NY29

Tel: +353 (0) 1 668 4402

Email: niamh.muldoon@vci.ie

HELP THE HARES: Tell Heritage Minister James Browne and Minister of State for Nature Christopher O’Sullivan to give full protection to the Irish Hare and stop licensing hare coursing.

Minister James Browne (Fianna Fail, Wexford)

Tel: (01) 618 3094

Email: minister@housing.gov.ie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/james.browne.enniscorthy

X: https://x.com/jamesbrownetd

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesbrownetd/?hl=en

Christopher O’Sullivan TD (Fianna Fail, Cork South West)

Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity

Tel: (01) 618 3095 or 023 88 11011

Email: christopher.osullivan@oireachtas.ie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopher.osullivan.716

X: https://twitter.com/COSullivanTD

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christopher_o_sullivan_td

Please get in touch with all your local TDs and urge them to pledge support for a long overdue ban on cruel hare coursing 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 and Fine Gael. Tell them that you want hare coursing, fox hunting 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/

X: 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