Limerick pair were 'no-shows' in Ennis District Court over illegal Irish hare hunting

A BENCH warrent has been issued for two Limerick men who failed to appear at Ennis District Court on Monday over illegal hare-hunting in west Clare.

At Ennis District Court, Christopher Donovan of Ennistymon pleaded guilty to going onto lands and using a lurcher dog in order to illegally hunt a wild animal, a hare contrary to the Wildlife Act on October 23, 2022 at Teergonean, Doolin.

Two of his co-accused, Patsy Casey and Simon Casey Snr both of Clondong, Southill, Limerick failed to show in court on Monday, June 24, and Judge Alec Gabbett issued a bench warrant for their arrest to be brought before court.

Mr Donovan of Bay 3, Glen North Halting Site, Ennistymon was one of five men stopped during the day in a car by Gardai after being spotted earlier by State employed conservative officers hare hunting with lurcher dogs at Teergonean, Doolin.

Gardai also found five lurcher dogs in the boot of the car.

Prosecuting the case on behalf of the Dept of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Lorcan Connolly BL (instructed by Clare State Solicitor, Aisling Casey) told the court that “thankfully, no hares were found in the car”.

In court, Conservation Officer with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Penny Bartlett said that she took up a vantage point in the area “and observed men crossing fields with lurcher dogs off the lead and unmuzzled”.

Ms Bartlett observed the dogs being let off the lead to hunt hares and saw the dogs on several occasions chasing hares across fields and into gardens.

Ms Bartlett said that the hare “is a protected wild species and local populations are in decline where this activity occurs and it is a frequent enough occurrence in north and west Clare”.

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She said: “It is a very cruel sport. It is highly organised and can involve trespass and intimidation of landowners.”

Solicitor for Mr Donovan, Tara Godfrey told the court that Mr Donovan wanted to apologise for his actions that day.

Ms Godfrey said that the driver of the car that was stopped and where Mr Donovan was a passenger told Gardai that he was only chasing rabbits.

Ms Godfrey said that his client's wife “absolutely scalded him” for his involvement in hunting the hares.

She said: “Mr Donovan has promised both his wife and myself that he will never associate with this sort of activity again. He condemns this sort of activity here and has no animus towards the wild Irish hare."

She said: “Mr Donovan comes from a background where hunting rabbits would have been very common and there would have been rabbit pie and when things were short, rabbit would have been a staple part of the diet."

In response, Judge Gabbett said: “This is not about rabbits.”

In reply, Ms Godfrey said: “I know it is not about rabbits."

Ms Godfrey said that Christopher Donovan "has learned a very sharp lesson here today".

Ms Godfrey said that Mr Donovan is an unemployed married father of one “and is someone who has never been before the court before for this sort of behaviour and he will stay well away from this sort of behaviour into the future”.

Judge Gabbett imposed a €300 fine on Mr Donovan for the offence.