Bad Hare Days

One man’s fight against a cruel blood sport!By John Fitzgerald

In Ireland the humble hare has been the subject of great controversy.After years of an abusive sport, which resulted in its child-like death screams being heard regularlythroughout Ireland, a result was achieved.For those few dedicated people trying desperately to save the gentle creature from the horrors of the cruelsport of hare coursing, the struggle was painful and fought against great odds. The author writes about hisexperience of a campaign against this barbaric blood sport, focusing mainly on a controversial phase in the1980s when the State deployed a police heavy gang to suppress anti-coursing activism.The author’s own peaceful and non-violent action and that of, initially, a few others' did arouse the publicand achieve what at first appeared to be a hard-won benefit to the hare. But the hare's troubles were - and are-far from over.Though it can no longer be torn apart by greyhounds, now muzzled, it can still be mauled, injured, andtossed about like a rag doll on the coursing field.In addition to highlighting the hare's sad plight, this is also a campaigner's story. The author recounts vividlythe ups and downs of his own fight against animal cruelty. He and others paid a major price for their role inthe campaign.

The gentle hare, apart from its use and abuse in coursing, has now become an endangered species inIreland, and this book reinforces its right to be protected.