Colombia’s parliament has voted to ban bullfighting. Ireland should follow this example and ban cruel hare coursing – Read John Fitzgerald’s letter in Dublin People…
Abolish our “national blood sport”!
Letter to the Editor, Dublin People – June 10th 2024
Dear Editor,
To a campaigner against blood sports, the world can seem a grim and even revolting place at times, but there are days when the sun shines through the dark clouds of despair. Such a day arrived last week with the news that Colombia’s parliament had voted to ban bullfighting. It was one of only eight countries in the world that permit this most horrific “sport.”
It restores one faith in humanity when people power overcomes the aberrant human “need” to make animals suffer.
However, the seven remaining bullfighting nations still allow this relic of the Dark Ages, Spain being the most devoted to it; though in fairness opinion polls indicate that a majority of Spaniards want it banned too.
And small wonder, given what this supposedly heroic “art form” involves. The image of the dashing fearless matador with his swishing cape daring the mighty bull is erroneous, a carefully choreographed illusion. Prior to the fight, each bull is beaten over the kidneys and has Vaseline rubbed into his eyes to impair vision.
This renders him a far less formidable opponent, and then he’s repeatedly stabbed with darts and lances before the Matador performs his ceremonial swashbuckling act. After taunting the weakened, disoriented animal the “hero” gets to plunge his sword into its pain-racked body, between the shoulder blades. The groaning bull roars feebly, its noble form reduced to a quivering, crumpled heap, and the crowd applauds.
While I admire Spanish culture and cuisine and acknowledge that Spaniards are among the most welcoming people in Europe, I earnestly appeal to anyone visiting the country NOT to attend a bullfight. It can’t be emphasised strongly enough that the practice is kept alive by tourism.
So when you visit Spain, savour all that the country has to offer. But avoid this shameful display of man’s inhumanity.
Not that we can pat ourselves on the back here in Ireland about not having the Corrida as part of our culture. We have hare coursing, in which “sport” loving humans laugh and cheer as a harmless little animal runs for its life and get mauled, or forcibly struck, or tossed about like a broken toy.
We should follow the example of Colombia and put an end to our own national blood sport!
John Fitzgerald,
Callan, Co. Kilkenny
ACTION ALERT
HELP THE HARES: Contact Heritage Minister Darragh O’Brien and Minister of State for Nature Malcolm Noonan and demand that they remove the Irish Hare from the Open Season Order and bring to an end all hunting, shooting and coursing.
Minister Darragh O’Brien (Fianna Fail, Dublin Fingal)
Tel: (01) 618 3802 OR (086) 251 9893
Email: minister@housing.gov.ie; darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DarraghOBrienTD
X: http://twitter.com/DarraghOBrienTD
Malcolm Noonan TD (Green Party, Carlow Kilkenny)
Minister of State for Nature
Tel: (01) 618 3148 OR (01) 618 3156
Email: mos@housing.gov.ie; malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MinisterMalcolmNoonan/
X: https://twitter.com/noonan_malcolm
With a RED C opinion poll confirming that a 77 per cent majority of citizens want hare coursing banned (with just 9% disagreeing with a ban), it is now time for politicians to consign this nasty bloodsport to history. Join us in contacting all TDs and urging them to act to ensure that a ban is urgently introduced. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details for TDs https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/33
Ban Bloodsports 
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