Hare coursing in Ireland will be banned.
That was the defiant message issued by anti-hare coursing organisations as around forty people protested outside Powerstown Park racecourse, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.
The annual three day national festival of hare coursing was being held at this venue. First held in 1925, and organised by the Irish Coursing Club (established 1916) there have been only two years, 1968, coursing meeting not held to a Foot and Mount Disease outbreak, 2021, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, where hares were not used as gambling fodder at this Co. Tipperary racecourse.
During the two-hour demonstration, protestors held banners highlighting the cruelty of hare coursing and calling on the Irish government to save the Irish hare.
A number of Irish animal welfare/rights organisations were represented at the protest including The Irish Council Against Bloodsports, the Association of Hunt Saboteurs (Ireland) and the National Animal Rights Association.
Irish Council Against Bloodsports
The Irish Council Against Bloodsports said that another season of hare abuse has being held and our government still refuses to listen to the majority of Irish people who want this cruel activity banned.
An ICABS spokesperson said, “Hares suffer fear and stress and, despite the muzzling of the dogs, are injured and killed every coursing season when they are caught and mauled. Among the injuries to hares documented are broken back, spinal injury, broken legs, damaged toes and dislocated hips.
“Hares suffer at all stages of the conduct of hare coursing – during capture, while held captive and at the coursing meetings where they can be seen desperately running as a mob cheer the greyhounds on and gamble on which dog will be first to force the hare to change direction.
“Coursing compromises the welfare of hares and those who survive the ordeal remain at risk of dying from stress-related capture myopathy in the days and weeks after they are released back to the wild.”
ICABS restated its call for a ban on hare coursing and it’s spokesperson said, “Thousands of hares have once again been netted from the wild for use as live bait for dogs to chase at meetings around Ireland. All for the amusement of a merciless minority who find fun in watching small, defenceless animals running for their lives.”
Hare Coursing in Ireland
The 2025/2006 hare coursing season runs from the 8th August 2025 to 28th February 2026. The licence to capture live hares by means of nets is issued pursuant to and in accordance with the Wildlife Act, 1976 (Approved Traps, Snares and Nets) Regulations, 2003 (S.I. No. 620 of 2003).
The issued licence contains 37 conditions regarding the conduct of hare netting and hare coursing meetings. A hare coursing meeting can only be held by a club affiliated to the Irish Coursing Club. For the 2025/26 hare coursing season, the number of clubs listed to hold meetings was eighty-seven.
From September 2025 hare coursing meetings started to be held with the last day of hare coursing due to be take place on the 22nd February 2026.
Hare Coursing Information: Ireland
https://www.npws.ie/licencesandconsents/hare-coursing
Watch:
A video from British Pathé.
Irish Coursing Club’s First National Meeting at Powerstown Park, Clonmel. Ireland. 1925.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AAySytGI1E#:
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