Swan butchered in Claddagh

Amazotheamazing

Death of Claddagh swan being investigated
Lorna Siggins, Western Correspondent




Gardaí in Galway are investigating the apparent dismemberment of one of the swans from the Claddagh - home to the State's largest flock of the birds at the mouth of the Corrib.

The swan's remains were discovered by a walker on the shoreside in the area known as "the Swamp", close to the Claddagh, late last week. The carcase and entrails were located near a group of tents which were pitched without authorisation on local authority land.


The finding was reported to the Garda and to Galway and Claddagh Swan Rescue and several of its volunteers identified a trail of blood from the tent back to the Claddagh slipway. The 200 swans in the flock are very tame and congregate at the slipway to be fed and admired by the public, including young children.

Gardaí subsequently visited the campsite and it is understood that one man was questioned. The man subsequently said that he had found a dead swan and had decided to cook it and eat it.

Suzanne Divilly of Galway and Claddagh Swan Rescue said the dead bird was a cob or male bird, who would have had a partner. "This was horrific, as these birds are protected under the Wildlife Act," she said. "The Claddagh swans are so tame and trusting that all someone had to do was to put out their hand - which makes it even worse."

Ms Divilly said it was the worst incident the voluntary organisation had come across in some time. However, she said that the body of a swan wrapped in muslin was dug up by an animal - probably a fox or dog - in Rusheen Bay between Salthill and Barna two years ago. The organisation had also received reports of angling boats taking birds on Lough Corrib.

Galway city councillor Donal Lyons (Progressive Democrats) described the incident as a "new low" and said he hoped that the "full rigour of the law" would be applied to the culprit. Galway City Council said that camping was not authorised at the Swamp area, but the matter of bird protection would be one for the Garda.

Proxy

I certainly wouldn't eat a swan that I found dead... I never would have thought this to cause such a stir either. So he cooked and ate a bird, its nature. Granted, he coulda walked up to McDonagh's... but I wouldn't put it on the front page of the papers as if he was Hannibal Lecter.

*puts on fireproof regalia*

Muzzy

That's Shhhockin'

Anima

Nice try Proxy....

His defense that the bird was already dead is laughable at best. I hope the **** gets severely punished or maybe breaded and thrown to the swans/ducks/seagulls in claddagh. I think its only fair...

Proxy

Jaysus, bit vitriolic there Anima... its only a bird... its not like he took a flamethrower to them and set up a stall:D Lol @ the image.

Think its agreed it was a pretty danged stupid thing to do though.

Robbo

How is a swan all that different from say, a duck, which we have no problem eating?

Granted they're protected by the 1976 Wildlife Act but so, I believe, are bats and bees.

lostexpectation

so somebody actually eats a swan and he's Irish... will it put the decades old slur to rest no.

padi89

What a stupid cnut is all ive got to say.

The Freeman

it takes a very strange lad to cook a swan that he found dead down by the calddagh(bird flu anyone!:eek: )

po0k

What was wrong with a large curry chips?

If he did indeed kill the swan, he should get a month's worth community service picking up all the trash along the shore.

As a matter of interest, tourist or local?

The Freeman

i believe he is a native from dublin.................maybe he's up for the races!

alibabba

I hear the arguments about it only been a bird. Whats the difference in eating the swan or a duck you say ....

But if you think about it at a deeper level than that, the Swans down by the Claddagh are a part of Galway City now. So if someone from Dublin comes down and treats a part of Galway in that manner, I say forget about the judge and jury ... he is guilty as hell for crimes against Galwegians ( yes, the swans are galwegians )

I agree with one persons sentence, get hm to clean up the mess him and his kind leave down around there each summer.

The Freeman

you'd nearly swear that its the first seal clubbin incident or something,its completely blown up now,there was a big write up in all the papers yesterday aswell,


swan's breast neatley carved out and body left upsidedown beside tent with guts hanging out(you'd nearley swear it was hannibal lector or something)


fair enough it is strange but ITS JUST A SWAN LIKE!:eek:

Karl Hungus

I think the swans mean a fair bit to people round these parts. I've certainly fond memories of feeding them way back when, as I'm sure do a lot of other people. They're more like the town pets, rather than just another animal. I mean, what if someone came along and ate your dog?

So perhaps it's a little overblown, but I can understand people being annoyed, even upset by this.

alibabba

The Freeman wrote:

you'd nearly swear that its the first seal clubbin incident or something,its completely blown up now,there was a big write up in all the papers yesterday aswell,


swan's breast neatley carved out and body left upsidedown beside tent with guts hanging out(you'd nearley swear it was hannibal lector or something)


fair enough it is strange but ITS JUST A SWAN LIKE!:eek:

Its just a pity some people cant think on a deeper level.
You missed my last point completely.

The Freeman

yes it is bad thing to have happened and your man is a fruit cake for doin what he did

i have lived in galway for the last 5 years and have fond memories of feeding the swans which i find very relaxing along with most

but if you look at it like this


i know that this is in a differant context but

they don't make a big deal about people that aim for cats or dogs or other househould pets/animals in their cars when driving,i think this sort of animal abuse is worse

po0k

I wouldn't call him a fruitcake.

Irresponsible, ignorant, immature, possibly has delusions of machismo, or insecurities stemming from same which may have led him to think killing a swan while camping "in the wilds of the west" was a constructive way to assert his masculinity.

There was no need to kill a swan for food. It is illegal (isn't it?). It's not like we're short of places to get a bit of nosh.

Bottomline: "Fncking West-Brit Jackeen Scum, commin' down here, stealin' our land, stealin' our wimmen and killin' our swans!".

Proxy

So in summary... he shouldn't have done it, but its just a bird, so forget it, hope it never happens again, he'll get duly punished by the corresponding laws.

So....who's up for a BBQ by the Claddagh tomorrow? (JOKE!!)

po0k

I'll bring the horse seme- ...radish

Ronan|Raven

It did taste very good but I overcooked the wing a bit to much In the future I think some breadcrumbs would have been nice on strips of the breast.

po0k

Yeah, and then glaze in some honey and baby-oil.

mr biazzi

Twisted ****,