There has been controversy over the years about the involvement of Ireland's Catholic clergy in hare coursing, and frustration among animal protection campaigners at the Catholic Church's apparent lack of interest in the plight of non-human species. But one priest who did stand up for animals was the Dublin-born Fr Padraig O'Saoraí.
I knew him for more than twenty years through his advocacy for animal protection causes. I then lost contact with him and learned just recently that he died in 2018. His death seems to have gone largely unnoticed because I can't find any obituary, apart from a brief "R.I.P." notice.
Fr O'Saoraí served in a number of posts in his native Dublin before moving to Athy, County Kildare. Throughout his career he was famed for his sermons. He'd typically begin in a hum-drum, easy-going tone, as if indulging a set routine or initiating a casual chat…but his presentation would then take an unexpected turn, captivating listeners.
His voice had a sonorous allure, and his tallness, combined with his somewhat gaunt complexion, gave him an ascetic demeanor redolent of a Man of God from another age. Other clerics admitted to studying his method of delivery in an effort to brush up on their own presentations.
But it was Fr O'Saoraí’s passionate commitment to the cause of animal welfare that defined his long clerical career. It drew the plaudits of compassionate people from all over Ireland and abroad and, inevitably, the barbs of those who condoned or supported the various forms of animal cruelty, whether legal or prohibited.
He felt he was in some way “called” to speak out on behalf of the millions of creatures in our world that suffer untold misery, much of its inflicted by humans.
As a teenager, he’d never pass an injured bird or animal, or if he saw someone beating a donkey or horse he’d try to reason with them, pointing out that this was one of God’s creatures and deserved to be treated as such. His interventions might draw scorn or hostility, but occasionally his message hit home and the perpetrator agreed to re-think his errant behavior.
Reading the Lives of the Saints, the young Padraig discovered that many of them had a special place in their hearts for the animals. In particular he was inspired by the example of St Francis of Assisi, who regarded the “lesser beings” as his brothers and sisters and decried any ill-treatment of them.
And he read of the Irish saints like Brigid and Kevin, who also exemplified compassion towards non-humans. Brigid is said to have shown special kindness to stray dogs, and Saint Kevin is renowned for allowing a blackbird to make its nest in his outstretched hand.
Throughout his training for the priesthood Padraig shared his vision of a world where animals fared better with his fellow students, eliciting a variety of responses, ranging from approval to shrugs of indifference. But he felt that any discussion of the issue could only help the animals, however obliquely.
As a curate in Harold’s Cross in the 1970s he availed of the annual Feast of St Francis in October to address man’s relationship with the animal kingdom. The Feast of St Blaize afforded another opportunity to broach the subject because, as he reminded, Blaize risked his life by freeing captive wild animals destined for the Roman coliseum. He referred to the saint on one occasion as “possibly the world’s first hunt saboteur.”
He officiated at animal blessings at Harold’s Cross. Cats, dogs, pigeons and rabbits arrived in abundance, but also the odd hamster, turtle or goldfish. The blessings continued when he was appointed as Parish Priest of Ayrfield, a position he held from 1980 to 1997.
In the mid 1970s he co-founded a group called the Irish Catholic Study Circle for Animal Welfare with actor Des Perry, who was well known for his role in RTE’s long running TV drama Tolka Row and his many acclaimed stage performances. Des edited a newsletter produced by the group, and became a staunch supporter of Fr O'Saoraí’s endeavors to highlight the plight of animals.
The group sought to make the Catholic Church’s teaching on animal cruelty more widely known. Though he felt that the Church could be more outspoken on the issue, Fr O'Saoraí emphasized that cruelty to animals was contrary to the Christian ethos, and he published quotes from a range of theologians, saints, and church scholars to reinforce this point.
His campaigning elecited mixed responses from other clergy. Some applauded him, if not publicly. Others were hostile, opining that he laid too much emphasis on the welfare of animals. At one point, a bishop cautioned him not to refer directly to hare coursing in any church sermon as this would cause "acute embarrassment" to priests involved in the activity. To avoid openly defying His Lordship, he found subtle ways around the edict and continued to preach against bloodsports.
Fr O'Saoraí traversed the country to join protests against activities such as hare coursing, fox hunting, cruelty to greyhounds, and badger snaring. From the mid 1970s right up to 2010 he journeyed to Clonmel in County Tipperary to protest outside the annual National Coursing Festival. Hail, rain or snow, he’d arrive at Powerstown Park to register his opposition to the controversial practice.
In the early years Des Perry would be there too, and John Cowley, who played the part of Tom Riordan in the famed RTE rural drama series and was a prominent supporter of the Irish Council Against Blood Sports. Among the coursing fans passing by Fr O'Saoraí on their way in to see hares being hounded by dogs were Catholic priests like himself…but whose collars were partly or wholly concealed.
He always displayed his collar as he felt it would defeat the purpose of his presence on the picket line if people weren’t aware of his identity and profound disapproval of hare coursing.
He stood for hours on the quay in Waterford in 1984 protesting against the transportation of live animals on long sea journeys, exhibited a badger snare outside the Department of Agriculture in 1992 to show how these shy nocturnal creatures are captured, and in June 1993 he stood for more than three hours outside Dail Eireann with a placard as TDs inside debated Deputy Tony Gregory’s Bill to ban hare coursing.
He took part in numerous radio and TV debates on animal welfare, including two Late Late Show appearances. After retiring as PP of Ayrfied in 1997 he moved to Athy in County Kildare where he carried on with his advocacy work until his health began to fail. At Woodlands Nursing Home in County Meath he received postcards and letters from well-wishers until the day he died on June 3rd 2018.
I find it sad that he received no obituary, so I've written this tribute to Fr O'Saoraí: the priest who stood up for animals.
- John Fitzgerald