As hares were being hit and mauled into the ground at a coursing meeting in Limerick last Saturday (18 November 2017), delegates at the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis in Dublin were voting against a motion calling on the party to support a ban on the bloodsport. The motion before delegates stated: "This Ard Fheis calls for legislation to ban live hare coursing, noting the cruelty suffered by the native, wild hares through their capture, injuries and trauma, often resulting in death, and furthermore calls on Sinn Féin to produce a document outlining our policies in this area." It was presented by West Waterford Cumann, Sean Mac Giolla Bhríde Cumann (Westport) and Mulvey Cumann (Bré) in an attempt to reverse Sinn Fein's current policy which shamefully favours the continuation of coursing. We understand that the motion was narrowly rejected. According to Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin - a former Sinn Fein Councillor who was present at the Ard Fheis - "I and a few others did our best to get Sinn Féín to change its position of support for this appalling activity (coursing) at the Árd Fheis at the weekend but failed narrowly. A vote was taken and tellers appointed to count them. I repeat here what I said from the podium on Saturday morning that while a proud member of the party for almost 30 years now, 'I'm embarrassed and ashamed that we continue to condone coursing'. He said he hopes "that a majority of Sinn Féin Ireland members next year will vote to change the official position of the party in relation to it". Pointing to the latest ICABS video footage of hares being mauled - https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/videos/1492231004225786/ - he added that "We (Sinn Fein) cannot stand over it or believe in our hearts that it doesn't involve stress, trauma and suffering on innocent animals." ICABS is renewing its call to Sinn Fein to support a ban on cruel hare coursing by reinstating its previous anti-coursing policy which was reversed in 2010. ACTION ALERT Urge Sinn Fein to back a ban on hare coursing and foxhunting, in line with the majority view that these cruel activities must be outlawed. Email: admin@sinnfein.ie Tel: 01 8726100 / 8726932 (Dublin) OR 02890 347350 (Belfast) Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sinnfein Tweet: @sinnfeinireland Sinn Fein - Back a ban on cruel hare coursing and foxhunting