Ennis goats moving to new pastures

ENNIS’ famous goats are moving to pastures new in County Louth.

The animals have been taken to their new home on a mountain farm for safety reasons, according to Clare County Dog Warden, Frankie Coote, who revealed that
since straying from their traditional home on the Rocky Road, at least three of the herd have been killed.

Mr Coote, who was involved in moving the goats on Wednesday, said he recovered the body of a kid that was struck by a car in recent days.

This is in addition to two kids that were electrocuted after wandering into an ESB substation.

The goats made headline news across the country and further afield when videos of them roaming around the Kilrush Road were posted on social media.

Though their antics were a source of amusement for many, some locals reported that the animals were getting on top of people’s cars, damaging gardens and roaming
out onto the road, sparking calls for something to be done.

The goats had been sleeping in the cash and carry on the Kilrush Road and a corral was prepared by the council over the weekend.

After feeding the animals for a few days, on Tuesday evening Mr Coote and a local farmer, along with other volunteers, brought a pet goat to help calm the goats as
they secured them.

“They are going to a farmer that has a couple of hundred acres land in County Louth. He has a mountain farm and there will be a vet to inspect them when they arrive but they are all fine.

This farmer was recommended by Louth County Council. He has the space and he knows what he is doing when it comes to these
animals,” Mr Coote said.

He added that since news of nthe goats came to light, he has been inundated with requests from people looking to give them a home.

“I could re-home 200 goats if I had them. I had people from Enniskillen, Kerry, Cork,
everywhere. Since the foot and mouth that time, all the goats are gone from the mountains and the mountains are growing wild without
goats to eat what is growing.

A lot of people are disappointed they couldn’t get them.”

Mr Coote stressed the importance of securing a safe home for the goats. “It was getting quite serious.

The young ones were getting up on cars and two of them were electrocuted.”

Councillor Mary Howard said, “They are going to a place that is safe where they will not be a danger to themselves or anybody else.

The last thing anybody wanted was a cull of these animals.”

 

Jessica Quinn