The Frontline tonight - Animal Rights and Rural Ireland

LetFly

FYI

Tonight; Animal Rights and Rural Ireland
Monday, 22 Mar 2010
David Nally
Editor
The Greens are often pushed by journalists to say what concrete achievements they can boast after nearly three years in office. Well if all goes according to plan one small but highly emotive change is about to take place with the Wildlife Amendement bill 2010 which will ban stag hunting in Ireland. In practice that means banning the hunt of the Meath-based Ward Union - the only stag hunt in Ireland and long a sore point with animal rights and anti-blood sport groups. John Gormley is also about to introduce tighter regulations on dog breeding which many of those involved with coursing and even greyhound racing see as an attack on their sports.

Of course this all forms part of a highly complex and deeply felt division between, on the one hand, environmentalists and animal welfare groups, and on the other many rural dwellers represented by groups like RISE (Rural Ireland Says Enough), who believe that the Greens in particular are out to destroy their way of life. They feel these new measures will lead on to bans on fox hunting on coursing and attacks on fishing and even horse racing. Consequently, some rural FF backbenchers are privately very unhappy at having to support John Gormley's measures.

At the same time many animal welfare groups say the measures don't go far enough - they're particularly disappointed that there are no specific measures to ban hare coursing or fox hunting.

On tonight's The Frontline we'll debate animal rights and rural Ireland. We'll be joined by Mairead McGuinness MEP (who opposes John Gormley's measures) by Niall O Brollachain of the Greens who believes they are reasonable and necessary, and by a wide range of interested individuals and groups on both sides of the argument. Let us know what you think by posting your comment below or by emailing thefrontline@rte.ie

johngalway

Niall O Brollachain has praised Cuba in the past, so I look forward to fair and balanced comment :rolleyes:

Hopefully Mairead will have brought a thick unseasoned bit of hazel and let them have it

Otherwise, I'm off out shooting.

Cass

What irks me is what do people think is going to happen should all their wishes come through and every form of hunting is banned. You end up with Deer, Fox, Rabbit, etc populations spiralling out of control in as short as 5/10 years possibly. Not to mention the conservational/environmental work done by most game shooters/clubs in the upkeep of lands they shoot that goes largely unnoticed by anyone outside of the immediate locality. That and the environmental impact uncontrolled animal populations will have on not just lay land but agricultural and plantation lands.

Not getting into a debate here on the subject but i'll be watching it with interest.

Indubitable

Hmmm..........If the ban on stag hunting leads to a ban on fox hunting i better get out shooting. I must try shoot as many foxes as humanly possible in the next few weeks/months

kay 9

The "Greens" are an utter disgrace and should leave us folk to our sport as we dont bother anyone. Mixed emotions over the whole situation as does all of you I'm sure, but the main one is Anger:mad: Come on Mairead. As for that Gormley:rolleyes::rolleyes:

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

ezridax wrote: »

What irks me is what do people think is going to happen should all their wishes come through and every form of hunting is banned. You end up with Deer, Fox, Rabbit, etc populations spiralling out of control in as short as 5/10 years possibly. Not to mention the conservational/environmental work done by most game shooters/clubs in the upkeep of lands they shoot that goes largely unnoticed by anyone outside of the immediate locality. That and the environmental impact uncontrolled animal populations will have on not just lay land but agricultural and plantation lands.

Not getting into a debate here on the subject but i'll be watching it with interest.

You have to understand that the average joe is as thick as fcuk. They haven't a clue. "Oh the poor bunnies, you're a cruel bastard for shooting them" is the usual uneducated tripe that spurts from these thick gombeens mouths. Haven't a fcuking clue, greens included. Gobshítes the lot of them. Banning it because it looks bad from their moral high horse. It really pisses me off, if you haven't already noticed

Cass

Walter Rapping Dessert wrote: »

........... It really pisses me off, if you haven't already noticed

You're subtle, but i picked up a sense of annoyance.


My annoyance stems not only from their ignorance to what they do not understand, but also from the fact that they generally do not live in rural areas. They are from large urban areas and revel in the safeness of being able to criticise certain aspects of other peoples lives will not having to deal with these daily events themselves and return to their bedsits/apartments/houses feeling as those they have achieved some moral victory.


They also seem to wish for something (in this case a ban on all forms of hunting) without realising the potentially harmful results from their actions and as mentioned they then do not stick around to monitor the situation. If all hunting was banned are the people responsible for the ban going to put in the time and effort required for population control and other aspects that hunting automatically catered for? Look at Iraq in 1991. The army went in and "cleaned house". A moral victory for human rights. They then pulled out just as quick and when "Mad ass insain" got the reigns back he definitely "cleaned house" against all those that sided against him. Now without trying to introduce politics into a shooting forum, the same holds true for a ban on hunting.

As distasteful as hunting may be for some to swallow (as they do have the right to dislike it) it is an necessary "evil" with more than just a sport label attached. If these people are so short sighted as to not see the future ramifications of an all out ban on all forms of hnting then more is the pity for them, us and the animals in the long run.

Indubitable

Why doesn't everyone buy a few sheep if the greens ever ban all hunting and then shoot the fox and grey crow and say you were protecting your livestock!:p

Hopefully the greens won't be in power long enough for that to happen and that they won't be in power again for a long long time.

Fine Gael is against the ban on hunting:D but i worry about how good a government they would be if they got elected can't be much worse than the current coalition anyway.

marlin vs

Watch the programme, but don't forget that the greens have their conference in Waterford on Saturday the 27th of this month which is Saturday coming,come and show you'r opisition.
www.risecampaign.ie

Indubitable

That lady in the purple top doesn't know a thing. She (from my point of view) is extremely biased and ignorant towards the farmers and hunters.

I don't know about you, but part of the enjoyment i get from hunting is that it is one less potential fox to take a lamb

Chipboard

Hope Mairead doesn't rip her guna on the barbed wire sitting on that fence like that...

Indubitable

Hunt saboteurs should be arrested for trespassing on private lands.

Anyone up for a vigilante police force and a few citizen arrests? :D:D

The hunt saboteurs website is so bad. i can't make heads nor tails of it

bunny shooter

Audience loaded against hunters :rolleyes:

johngalway

Phillip Lynch just sunk them, game over.

Indubitable

johngalway wrote: »

Phillip Lynch just sunk them, game over.

This hunter with 25 years experience definitely put the nail in the coffin anyway

jap gt

johngalway wrote: »

Phillip Lynch just sunk them, game over.

+1 on that, looks to be just the two lads surrounded by antis, fighting a losing battle id say

johngalway

bunny shooter wrote: »

Audience loaded against hunters :rolleyes:

Did ya expect anything different from RTE? We live in what is a left wing country, even the right are left.

Only reason I'm not out shooting is I'm too tired for it tonight.

Sprouts

The Greens :eek:. Leave the hunts alone, this country is getting silly now.

Our man in Havana

That gob****e green hasn't a clue. Stags jumping out in front of prams? Please!

johngalway

Bond-007 wrote: »

That gob****e green hasn't a clue. Stags jumping out in front of prams? Please!

See post number 2

Indubitable

I much prefer the hunting on foot with only perhaps a tracking dog and my rifle but I do not see why such a long standing tradition should be wiped out.

johngalway

I reckon Lynch done them a lot of damage. As a pro hunting farmer, if what was said is true (taken with a pinch of salt) I wouldn't be happy with a hunt crossing my land in such a way.

A most foolish comment was made by the master of hunting (?) fella, on no animal being frightened. Loose lips sink ships.

One guy brough up a good point on taking O'Bollockans point of 2/3rds of the population being anti bloodsports. Plucked from the air methiks.

EPointer=Birdss

Aul whiskey face was going drand til he said he shot the dogs!
Think he shot himself in the foot whiles at it!

Can't argue with someone who is ignorant to the topic.

Your man in the full get up looks like he was let out for the day!

johngalway

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

Aul whiskey face was going drand til he said he shot the dogs!
Think he shot himself in the foot whiles at it!

Can't argue with someone who is ignorant to the topic.

Your man in the full get up looks like he was let out for the day!

Big LOL regarding "Your man in the full get up.."

I can see how dogs might get shot if they're in with in calf cows or heifers or hoggets or ewes in lamb. It's very easy for an animal to loose a pregnancy, and wallop goes your years work.

No6

Who is the sacry orange haired woman!!!:eek:

foxshooter243

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

Aul whiskey face was going drand til he said he shot the dogs!
Think he shot himself in the foot whiles at it!

Can't argue with someone who is ignorant to the topic.

Your man in the full get up looks like he was let out for the day!

:pac::pac::pac:

johngalway

No6 wrote: »

Who is the sacry orange haired woman!!!:eek:

She's a hunt sab.

John_Rambo

Massive support for banning the hunt from the ruralites. Very contrary to the automatic stereotype I see here about your "Anti".

Shocking media naivety from the hunters throughout the whole program.

foxshooter243

No6 wrote: »

Who is the sacry orange haired woman!!!:eek:

shes an extra from the blair witch project:D

Our man in Havana

No6 wrote: »

Who is the sacry orange haired woman!!!:eek:

A hunt saboteur.

Indubitable

johngalway wrote: »

Big LOL regarding "Your man in the full get up.."

I can see how dogs might get shot if they're in with in calf cows or heifers or hoggets or ewes in lamb. It's very easy for an animal to loose a pregnancy, and wallop goes your years work.

+1

Some of my sheep would throw a lamb if a dog came within 80yards of them

bunny shooter

No6 wrote: »

Who is the sacry orange haired woman!!!:eek:

A pack of hounds wouldn't follow her :eek:

EPointer=Birdss

No6 wrote: »

Who is the sacry orange haired woman!!!:eek:

:D:D

jap gt

the coursing woman is gas on a serious note the show has a one sided disaster

Our man in Havana

This has been an unmitigated disaster.

jap gt

the fella that sent the last message pat read out is dead right, if the ban hunting wait and see what will happen when the vermin start multipling

Our man in Havana

jap gt wrote: »

the fella that sent the last message pat read out is dead right, if the ban hunting wait and see what will happen when the vermin start multipling

Oh yes! There will be much weeping and gnashing of teeth.

EPointer=Birdss

johngalway wrote: »

Big LOL regarding "Your man in the full get up.."

I can see how dogs might get shot if they're in with in calf cows or heifers or hoggets or ewes in lamb. It's very easy for an animal to loose a pregnancy, and wallop goes your years work.

Didn't he say he was from Galway??:eek:
Where are you tonight John?

Your dead right on the livestock, seen it 1st hand also.

johngalway

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

Didn't he say he was from Galway??:eek:
Where are you tonight John?

Your dead right on the livestock, seen it 1st hand also.

I'm traveling incognito this evening :cool:

johngalway

Bond-007 wrote: »

This has been an unmitigated disaster.

I have to say that at least the Ward hunt are consistent when dealing with the meeja.

elius

Lads this still has nothing to do with fox control.. They were not even talking about the killing of the animal there talking about the stress induced animals. To be honest im not into digging up a fox hole looking at him cower in a ball with fear and then getting bet against the head with a spade or tour to pieces by a dog. 9 outa 10 lads on here feel bad if they injure a fox in the first shot and fail to get a follow up shot. An the lady in the purple made the point that fox numbers had to be controlled. I no of a good few lads in the ward and to be honest there all big shots who no more no about hunting than the man and the moonthe lady who made the point about the baileys an co was dead right wtf do they no about hunting..

Indubitable

jap gt wrote: »

the fella that sent the last message pat read out is dead right, if the ban hunting wait and see what will happen when the vermin start multipling

The fox is very adaptable so their numbers won't be limited to the amount of prey around, nor will the rabbits because there wont be a lack of vegetation.

We will see a rapid decline in the bird numbers, and the protected ones are rare enough as it is.

that would be a disaster:(

noodle650

wow im going to get a grilling for this.

I say fair enough, Ban the hunting of foxes with hounds, I presonally think its an extremely cruel way of controlling these animals.

If youa re going to control fox populations do it with a high speed projectile eg a .223 45gn Vmax

kay 9

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

Didn't he say he was from Galway??:eek:
Where are you tonight John?

Your dead right on the livestock, seen it 1st hand also.

I'm a Galway man and would love to see a hound take a few bites out of that bollocky bill:mad: What we need is a more lawless Ireland i think for a while to pull them out and give them a good thrashin:mad::mad:

Indubitable

elius wrote: »

Lads this still has nothing to do with fox control.. They were not even talking about the killing of the animal there talking about the stress induced animals. To be honest im not into digging up a fox hole looking at him cower in a ball with fear and then getting bet against the head with a shovel or tour to pieces bye a dog. 9 outa 10 lads on here feel bad if they injure a fox in the first shot and fail to get a follow up.

+1

I only ever take a shot at a fox if I know it will be a clean shot that will kill the fox first time (unless it has a lamb of mine in its mouth). I hate to see them suffer

Cass

noodle650 wrote: »

wow im going to get a grilling for this.

I say fair enough, Ban the hunting of foxes with hounds, I presonally think its an extremely cruel way of controlling these animals.

Not a grilling.

If you concede that one sport is less valid than another you start on a slippery slope that will end with the eventual banning of all sports. Without getting into the politics end of it you must support other peoples sport pursuits whether you agree with it or participate in it.

elius

At the end of the day we (most) on here have the animals welfare at heart. Are hunting is a fast and painless death. Being ripped apart bye dog bet with a a spade is not therefor i cant agree with it. Same goes for the dear hunting that vid of the lads jumping on the dear was border line sick if the truth be known. and i for one dont condone that sort of hunting.. Ban em i say.

bunny shooter

elius wrote: »

..........Ban em i say.

Them today your sport tomorrow :eek:

noodle650

ezridax wrote: »

Not a grilling.

If you concede that one sport is less valid than another you start on a slippery slope that will end with the eventual banning of all sports. Without getting into the politics end of it you must support other peoples sport pursuits whether you agree with it or participate in it.

Fair enough, but can they guarantee a quick and humane dispatch at the climax of the hunt?

greenpeter

Feck it lads its all politics and power nothing to do with animals, just about seats in big room where they talk a load of bull and the same with the ward unions there a shower of jump up yuppies who respect no one or any thing unless you have $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ before your name...

elius

ezridax wrote: »

Not a grilling.

If you concede that one sport is less valid than another you start on a slippery slope that will end with the eventual banning of all sports. Without getting into the politics end of it you must support other peoples sport pursuits whether you agree with it or participate in it.

But thats the thing i wont support something i dont agree in. They banned fox hunting in the uk and it never had an effect on the control of them. Lads the greens aren't looking to ban fishing shooting. All there looking to do is stop needless suffering on animals.