Banning hare coursing would be an “attack on rural Ireland”, a Fine Gael councillor has claimed. 

On Monday, a motion calling for a ban on the sport was brought before Cork Council by the Green Party and easily defeated. 

Cllr Eileen Lynch, who led opposition to the motion, said she has been involved in the sport her entire life and wants it to continue.

“For me, this is part of my heritage and my tradition,” she told Newstalk Breakfast.  

“It’s a part of rural Ireland and I saw this as one further attack on rural Ireland by the Green Party. 

“And while I appreciate it’s not to everyone’s taste, you have 89 clubs around the country. 

“You have 15 in Cork alone and my view that it is an intrinsic part of rural Ireland was ultimately supported by colleagues in the vote that we saw on Monday.” 

BJBXKP European Hare (lepus europaeus)

Cllr Alan O’Conor of the Greens disagreed and said there was strong public support for a ban. 

“It’s not an attack on rural Ireland, it’s an attack on hare coursing,” he said. 

“I don’t think necessarily everyone in rural Ireland would be supportive of it.  

“A Red C poll showed that 77% of the population would be in favour of a ban and apparently the divide was equal in both urban and rural areas.” 

C41DPE simulated coursing greyhounds

Cllr Lynch rejected the findings of the polls and denied that the sport was in anyway cruel. 

“I don’t think so and I think what’s a lot crueller is illegal hunting,” she said. 

“Why are we not cracking down on illegal hunting? Minister Noonan announced 18 months ago that we were to introduce a wildlife crime unit - which is something I would have welcomed. 

“If the motion on Monday had been looking at illegal hunting - which I do believe to be cruel - that’s something I would have supported.” 

Hare coursing in Ireland is regulated under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958 and the industry is administered by the Irish Coursing Club (ICC).

Main image: Dogs battle to turn the Hare at the National Hare coursing championships held at Clonmel race course in County Tipperary. Image: Alamy.com