Irish Council Against Blood Sports Gaelcomhairle in Aghaidh Fuilsport
PO Box 88, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland
Tel/Fax: 044-93 49848. Mobile: 086-2636265.
Textline: 086-0386617 - Text "GO" to receive occasional updates
The Ward Union deer hunt will be banned this year. Please email "I support the banning of the Ward Union" to minister@environ.ie To place this banner on your website, visit our banner page for the code
Witness the cruelty of blood sports in Ireland
Hare coursing
Foxhunting
Carted deer hunting
To witness the appalling cruelty of hare coursing, foxhunting and carted deer hunting, please click on the video links above. For more presentations exposing blood sports in Ireland, visit our Videos Page. Help highlight our campaigns by displaying the videos on your website. Thank you.
Please join the Irish Council Against Blood Sports in urging TDs and Senators to act to ensure that hunting groups are not afforded an exemption under the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009. In our appeal to politicians, ICABS highlighted the appalling conditions in hunt kennels and the destruction by hunts of healthy hounds that are considered not good enough for hunting. More...
Protestors call for ban on cruel hare coursing
Thank you to everyone who attended the protest against coursing in Clonmel on Wednesday. As hares ran for their lives inside Powerstown Park, protestors representing the compassionate majority called for the blood sport to be banned. More...
Hunt ban legislation will be published "as soon as possible"
Environment Minister, John Gormley, will publish legislation to ban the Ward Union "as soon as possible". The Minister made the statement in response to a Dail question from pro-hunting Fine Gael TD, Shane McEntee. Please email your support for the ban to minister@environ.ie. More...
Cancel the licence extension: Renewed appeal to Minister Gormley
ICABS has renewed its appeal to Green Party leader and Environment Minister, John Gormley, to cancel a licence extension he promised to hare coursers. The extension, which was due to be granted early in the new year, would allow coursers to continue terrorising hares into the month of March. More...
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports has today launched a new leaflet which highlights the barbarity of digging out and terrierwork. Please join us in our renewed call to the Minister for Agriculture, Brendan Smith, to show compassion and outlaw these horrendous practices. More...
Positive response to GOAL appeal ICABS has thanked charity, GOAL, for acting to disassociate from a coursing-related fundraiser. A notice on the Irish Coursing Club website detailed the charity betting event on the eve of the 3-day cruelty fest in Clonmel. More...
ICABS responds to Kevin Myers' pro-hunt article ICABS has responded to an Irish Independent article by Kevin Myers in which he suggested that the Ward Union's terrorisation of deer is "natural". In a letter to the editor published at the weekend, we highlighted the suffering and death caused to deer by the hunt. More...
Animal Voice: January 2010 A round-up of all the latest campaign news and updates. Please respond to this month's featured action alerts and forward to all your friends. Thank you. More...
Urgent appeal to Minister: Don't exempt hunts from fees ICABS has urged Minister John Gormley to drop proposals to exempt blood sports groups from fees under the new Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009. Please support our urgent action alert now. More...
Revoke licence "on public safety grounds": Deputy O'Sullivan Maureen O'Sullivan, TD has asked Environment Minister, John Gormley, if he will revoke the Ward Union's licence "on public safety grounds". Minister Gormley stated in response that legislation outlawing the hunt will be published soon. More...
I support ban on Ward Union: Fianna Fail Cllr Noel Leonard ICABS has welcomed Fianna Fail Councillor, Noel Leonard's condemnation of the Ward Union and his announcement that he backs moves to ban the hunt. "I saw the hounds attack the hind quarters of the legs of the poor unfortunate stag," Cllr Leonard outlines in a statement published in the Meath Chronicle. "It's horrific to see the end of the hunt." More...
Success: Hospital will no longer associate with Ward Union ICABS has thanked Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital for announcing that it will "no longer associate with, or accept donations from the Ward Union hunt". The hospital's much welcomed move came following an ICABS appeal last month. More...
ICABS responds to Carberry's hunt ban comments
In a letter to the editor published in today's Irish Times, ICABS has responded to comments from pro-hunt jockey Paul Carberry. Spokesperson Aideen Yourell points out that when the Ward Union is banned this year, a transition to drag hunting would not only address Carberry’s concerns about employment and local business but also serious concerns about public safety, animal welfare and respect for landowners. More...
The cruelty of carted deer hunting
In our newly updated campaign page, you can read about the suffering caused to deer during Ward Union hunts. This includes details about deer that died from fractured ribs and ruptured aortic aneurisms, a deer struck by a car and a deer caught in barbed wire. Please send a list of these incidents to your local TD along with the message "I support a ban on the Ward Union". More...
Praise for Irish Kidney Association for refusing hunt fundraiser ICABS has praised the Irish Kidney Association for refusing the offer of a fundraiser from the Ward Union. A Kidney Association spokesperson stated on RTE's Liveline: "We're in the business of preserving life so we'd prefer if they didn't do something on our behalf." The hunt is due to be banned this year. More...
Please fax, post or email this poster to Minister Gormley Help the Hares. Please send a copy of our new campaign poster to Minister John Gormley. Ask him to revoke the current hare coursing licence, cancel the licence extension he has promised and put in place permanent protection for the hare species. More...
Please send this letter to Enda Kenny Please post, fax or email this letter of appeal to Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny. Urge him to modernise his party's animal welfare policies and work towards bringing all activities that involve animal cruelty to an end. More...
Green TD's astounding suggestion to deerhunt: hunt foxes or hares
ICABS has expressed disbelief at Green Party deputy leader, Mary White's suggestion that when carted deer hunting is banned next year, the Ward Union hunt could instead switch to hunting foxes or hares. In an interview published in the Irish Field, the Carlow TD also assured hunters that "we have no intention of banning fox hunting or hare coursing either now or anytime in the future." More...
Cruelty to horses in Waterford: Renewed appeal for information Last December, ICABS highlighted a shocking attack on three horses in the Ballybeg and Williamstown areas of Waterford. Today we are renewing our call on anyone with information on these brutal attacks to please contact the Gardai in Waterford. More...
Species Protection Unit questioned over coursing licence ICABS is calling on the National Parks and Wildlife Service's Species Protection Unit to explain why it recommended that a coursing licence be granted. "Given that coursing results in stress, injury and death to hares, we wish to know how your unit's recommendation fits in with its 'species protection' role," ICABS stated. More...
The animals get my vote Please send this poster to all your local politicians to tell them that their attitude towards animals and their commitment to bringing animal cruelty to an end will be a major factor in your voting decision. More...
Animal Action Alert image for mobile phones Please download this Irish Council Against Blood Sports' action alert image on to your mobile phone and forward to your friends by MMS or email. Check with your mobile phone operator for internet access/MMS/email charges. More...
Help keep illegal animal traps out of Ireland Help keep illegal traps out of Ireland. If you see any of the following traps for sale in Irish shops (or being used here) please report them immediately - Nooski trap, electronic mouse and rat killers, glue traps and glue boards, the Mousemaster trap, unstopped snares, leghold traps. More...
Please make a donation to ICABS Please consider making a donation to the Irish Council Against Blood Sports this month. We rely entirely on the generosity of our supporters to help ensure that our campaign goes from strength to strength. To make a donation today, click on the Paypal logo to the left or visit our Join ICABS page. Thank you very much.
ICABS urges ban on horrific ferreting ICABS has renewed its call for ferreting to be banned after a newspaper article highlighted the appalling cruelty of the activity. A profile of a ferreting enthusiast published in a midlands newspaper told of how ferrets are used to blind rabbits by biting into their eyes. More...
"No Hunting" signs: please print and display
Attention landowners: please download and display our new "No Hunting" posters and close your entire property to hunts now. The posters are available in A4 and unmissable A3 sizes. More...
