Clare gardaí have launched a crackdown on illegal hunting in the county, following reports of gangs of men trespassing on farmland in the north and west of the county with lurcher dogs and infrared scanners.
The Clare Champion revealed before Christmas that three separate groups of farmers have formed at different locations along Clare’s Atlantic coast in recent months, to share information and jointly resist encroachments onto their land.
A meeting of 16 farmers took place before Christmas at which details of intimidation, threats of violence and even threats of death were shared by farmers.
The meeting was chaired by Clare farmer and former general secretary of the ICSA, Eddie Punch, who said that the farmers are living in fear.
“They are driving the livestock wild for a start. One farmer told me about his livestock being sent down over a cliff and onto the shore,” said Mr Punch.
“Another farmer recounted how he was surrounded by four or five of these guys in his jeep one time, on his own property, and they had sticks and chains and threatened to beat him to a pulp if he got out of the jeep. Another one was trespassing on a local man’s property, he pointed at his pocket and told the farmer that he had a nine mil, that’s a hand gun, in his pocket.”
Gardaí in the Clare Tipperary Division, in cooperation with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the Clare Dog Warden, Frankie Coote, carried out an operation protecting wildlife and livestock and targeting illegal hunting.
Checkpoints were put in place in several locations across the county. According to a Garda spokesperson, the aim of this operation was to protect local wildlife and livestock, as well as to target, disrupt and prosecute individuals engaged in illegal hunting and animal cruelty.
“The issue of illegal hunting is a wildlife crime which can result in the suffering and cruel death to animals and threatens local populations of protected wildlife,” said a spokesperson from the NPWS.
“This activity is also highly disruptive to landowners and local communities. NPWS is committed to working with An Garda Síochána and all stakeholders in combating and prosecuting this illegal activity.”
A farmer, who declined to be identified for safety reasons, said that the local farmers have no choice but to band together and defend their property.
“A lot of the time they [the intruders] become aggressive. They tell us that they can do what they like, wherever they like. They say they can roam the lands where they please,” said the farmer.
“It can become tense, they will verbally threaten you and sometimes they will tell you what they will do if we don’t leave them alone.
“We just keep banding together, sticking together, and we confront them as best we can.”
According to Clare Dog Warden, Frankie Coote, these gangs video their dogs as they chase and kill the hares and thousands of euro is bet on which dog catches and kills a hare first.
Eddie Punch believes that the recent Diarmuid Phelan case should be a warning to authorities about how series an issue trespassing is becoming.
Earlier this month, Mr Phelan was acquitted of murdering a man who was trespassing on his land in February of last year.
Mr Punch spoke to Mr Phelan about his situation during last year’s National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska.
“This case illustrates the extent to which people trespassing on other people’s land is a very real issue. It has demonstrated how intimidated landowners can become,” he said.
“He [Diarmuid Phelan] came to us in the ICSA last year, he felt intimidated, abandoned and under pressure. He felt afraid.”
It is an offence under the Wildlife Act 1976, to enter onto lands for the purpose of hunting a wild animal without the permission of the owner. Anyone who sees individuals engaged in this activity is advised not to approach, but to note down the location and vehicle registration and contact their local Garda station, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
Andrew Hamilton is a journalist, investigative reporter and podcaster who has been working in the media in Ireland for the past 20 years. His areas of special interest include the environment, mental health and politics.