Stop bizarre deer hunting 'sport'
Brave minister creams Bailey
Sir -- It seems that the cavalry of the Ward Union, headed up by Michael Bailey, weren't able to whoop it up on St Stephen's Day when they couldn't hound a deer around the countryside for "sport", after Environment Minister John Gormley issued a restricted licence, which stipulates that deer must not be hunted by hounds (Sunday Independent, December 30).
For over 100 years now, this hunt, twice-weekly from November to March, has been subjecting tame deer to a distressing ordeal, leaving them exhausted, often injured and at risk of dying of heart failure, despite claims from one of their supporters that she had never seen a hunted deer injured.
Under the Freedom of Information Act, incidents of cruelty have been documented, such as deer dying of aneurisms; a deer choked on capture; a deer drowned in a quarry; a deer sustaining fractured ribs and dying; a deer hanging by its front leg on barbed wire; and lameness in deer following hunts. These, we believe, are just the tip of the iceberg.
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports has always contended that this hunt should never have been licensed and this has now been borne out by Professors William Binchy and Clive Symmons of Trinity School of Law in a recently published legal opinion which concludes that the Ward Union hunt is "illegal" under the 1911 Protection of Animals Act, and that it shouldn't be licensed under the 1976 Wildlife Act.
The Ward Union should now call it a day on their bizarre, outdated and abusive deer hunt, and switch to drag hunting, which is cruelty-free.
Aideen Yourell,
Irish Council
Against Blood Sports
Sir -- It has been suggested in recent weeks that Environment Minister John Gormley might be playing a dangerous political game in taking on stag hunters.
Certainly, millionaire businessmen with close links to Fianna Fail are not folk to mess around with.
Ward Union joint hunt master Michael Bailey is a long-time supporter of the party and a very powerful man indeed, as are many of the other fans and members of the hunt.
But surely the minister has displayed great courage and ecological foresight in seeking to protect a precious part of Ireland's wildlife heritage, the noble stag; the animal that once occupied pride of place on our pound coin.
His aim has been to prevent the infliction of unnecessary suffering and distress on the stags that the Ward Union Hunt, up until recently, was free to hound to exhaustion and often agonising injury.
If the hunters can't operate the new licence conditions controlling their hobby, they can always switch to drag hunting, where none of those irritating restrictions will apply and they can ride to their heart's content.
They can gallop as free as the wind, blow their horns, listen to dogs snarling and barking, and then drink hot toddies or whatever in the pub afterwards.
For all their big talk about bringing the minister to heel on this issue, I reckon he is a master political tactician, superior to anyone these high fliers have encountered in their bid to dress up cruelty and countryside mayhem as sport.
If they try to outwit him, it will, I suspect, be a case of the unspeakable in full pursuit of the unbeatable, with apologies to Oscar Wilde.
In addition to observing the much-talked about 28 licence conditions, I suggest that the hunt might also consider a name change to reflect its new Monty Python-style hunting format and in honour of its most prestigious patron.
Let the Ward Union Stag Hunt henceforth be known as Bailey's Irish Scream.
John Fitzgerald,
Callan,
Co Kilkenny
Sir -- Referring to the articles on stag hunting, I would like to comment on Michael Bailey's comment: "We're so deflated, it's all about the thrill of the chase and that was lost here today."
Apparently the St Stephen's Day hunt left them so upset they couldn't look at each other in the pub afterwards. Well, poor them!
What comes to mind is a spoilt child who has had his ball taken away despite having a box of other toys. They could drag hunt, which, of course, is not good enough for them. The bloodlust is so strongly embedded in these people's mentality that they openly admit that the cruelty is acceptable as long as these spoiled children are amused.
There are people without homes, children on the streets, poverty and real problems out there and these stag hunters can do little else but moan that its like having the smell of turkey without turkey!
What a lot of selfish people they are, overlooking the unnecessary cruelty they want to continue with.
Bernie Wright,
Association of Hunt Saboteurs
Sir -- I take great exception to Michael Dowling's letter "Rugby fair play a farce" (Sunday Independent, December 30). He is simply repeating the same old line that rugby is an upper class sport without fully appreciating the game in this country.
There are the schools and clubs of South Dublin that fit this billing of the elite in society, but rugby is now played in many CBS and non-fee paying schools. Please also take a trip to any junior club in Leinster and beyond that have been in existence for decades.
Here you of course will find the doctor and lawyer, but also the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker. Also, last time I looked, doctors and lawyers played soccer and GAA.
Respect for the referee has nothing to do with occupation or standing in society.
It stems from the fact that you will give 10 metres to the opposition, and receive the ire of your coach and team mates, if you give the ref any "backchat". If other sports, particularly soccer, implemented such strict refereeing policies there might not be the problems witnessed on a weekly basis.
His statement that rugby players don't play to compete is ridiculous. The provincial J1 leagues, where junior teams compete to gain a place in the AIL, is some of the most competitive sport you will find anywhere. There are social teams that are less competitive of course, but GAA and soccer also have these. Are they just trying to be "great guys" too?
Chris Carville,
Naas,
Co Kildare
Sir -- With reference to the letter "Rugby fair play a farce", I don't understand where Michael Dowling is coming from.
Is he anti-rugby or does he not like the traditions associated with Rugby Union? Nearly every sport has its own traditions.
If the respect for the referees, opposition and tradition associated with rugby are a farce then I suggest that he name a sport that is a better role model.
He gives the impression that those involved in rugby mainly come from, in his own words, the "elite of society". This is far from the truth.
Apart from doctors and lawyers there are also truck drivers, carpenters, electricians, construction workers, gardai, teachers, farmers and salespeople, to name but a few I know of.
May I point out that the traditions of a guard of honour and giving three cheers are instilled in rugby players from minis (under sevens) right up to international level.
Methinks that Michael Dowling is not a follower of rugby and has a "chip on his shoulder" as regards the game!
Gerald Williamson,
Kells,
Co Meath
