BLOODSPORTS WILL HAVE SURVIVED 101 YEARS in Millstreet.

cork | animal rights | press release Thursday December 11, 2014 10:48 by Bernie Wright - Association of Hunt Saboteurs (AOHS) bigbrownrat at gmail dot com +353872651720

END Hare Coursing in National park

ANIMAL ABUSE aka BLOODSPORTS WILL HAVE SURVIVED 101 YEARS in Millstreet.

The annual Millstreet Hare coursing event set for 3rd/4th Jan 2015 has already caused disgruntled locals to contact ourselves and other direct action Animal rights Groups.

This cruel spectacle actually takes place on a GAA pitch in a local public park. The park in the centre of the town, a favourite with locals, dog walkers, footballers etc however is disrupted for four weeks a year and actually has a rusty dump of an enclosure permanently in place to hold the netted hares for the coursing two day event. All this is allowed in a public park such is the power of the Town Park Committee. The opposition to ending this has prompted people to release the hares on many occasions but sadly they get recaptured and coursed, it fails as too many obstacles stop their escape and they are enclosed behind more wire than can be dismantled, until maybe this year if locals do not give up.

Hares terrorised and killed for fun and entertainment in Millstreet

This antiquated and brutal pastime started in 1914 its demise is long overdue-what was acceptable then is not acceptable now.

Many hare releases, petitions, articles etc have bit the dust so far .Locals are deflated at this blight on the town. Secrecy as to the lack of indentification of the Millstreet Town Park Committee and their ‘untouchable’ presence in the town has kept this alive. The internet age and indeed a simple list of committee members does not exist. They prefer to remain anonymous so coursing can remain.

However our research has hunted down Millstreet Coursing club Gerry Lehane of Ballydaly among its ranks. Other members who disregard all attempts by locals to end this event are retired Solicitor Maurice Lenihan Ph 02971050 and Denis Hickey of the GAA at 0879527880. David Twomey of Van Halen company in Co Kerry is also allegedly reported to be a committee member Ph 02970699.

The AOHS are instigating an International internet campaign to highlight this sick pastime, we have the support of many locals who have contacted us for help and together we may at the very least put severe pressure on the organisers and corroborators.

Bernie Wright, press officer 0872651720
Association of Hunt Saboteurs affiliated to the HSA of the UK.

• MILLSTREET COURSING CLUB
Gerry Meehan at 0879087426 or Secretary Den Joe Guiney at 087 1205305.

• Here's a brief film showing what happens at these "sporting" events:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/k6mVlxGBV1gjimAwGy?sta...rt=10

• NPWS REPORT (last years abuse). Millstreet, Co Cork - January 4/5, 2013
10 hares hit, 5 pinned. Ranger noted that "1 hare died shortly after/upon release (vet had inspected this animal at end of coursing, Day 1, and said it appeared fit for release)". It was also noted that 1 hare died in escape overnight and another died in escape after being coursed. No post mortems were conducted on these hares.