July 06, 2003
Tally ho
Hunters in Britain are preparing themselves for the worst. Last week, the House of Commons voted to ban hunting with dogs (no jokes about bringing the missus along, please).
In Ireland, where hunting tourism is already becoming an important part of the rural economy, one operator expected the number of British visitors to double.
Oliver Walsh, who runs Flowerhill House Hunting Holidays in Co Galway, said: "In the short term it is going to be quite lucrative. If hunting is banned in Britain I can foresee an increase in English hunters in Ireland of at least 50 per cent, which means a couple more thousand visitors."
Ireland has 100 equine hunts and another 200 on foot, and Mr Walsh, who has 90 horses and 44 hounds, charges £1,000 for a four-day hunting holiday. "I have a 240-acre estate so I can take runs on my own land or with adjoining landowners with their permission," he said.
I bet Oliver doesn't refer to the 'estate' when he's down in the local pub.
Leaders of the foreign hunts have told The Telegraph that British enthusiasts will be welcome to join them in their countries, where the sport has not engendered the class hatred it has in Britain.
Hmm…I'm sure the prospect of a bunch of British toffs galloping across the fields of Connemara will have the locals giddy with anticipation. I don't really know what to make of this hunting lark myself. I'm all for hunting stuff you can eat - pheasant, grouse and the like. But if I wanted to kill foxes or badgers, I flatten them with my car, just like everyone else.
If I was going to round up a posse of horsemen and a pack of dogs, I use them for something useful, like hunting cats (starting with the one that uses my garden as his personal litter tray) or the cast of The Lyrics Board.
And Westlife, of course. Release the hounds….
Posted by Monasette at July 6, 2003 10:55 PM | TrackBack