Following four months of speculation and accusation, more than 100 huntsmen and women saddled up in Co Meath yesterday for a greatly changed annual Ward Union stag hunt.
Last year's hunt caused controversy and calls for a ban when a stag chased by hounds jumped into a primary school in Kildalkey and scared children.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley last week renewed the licence to the Ward Union Hunt despite his feelings about the sport, as there were no legal grounds for refusal. However, more than 20 new conditions were attached to the licence. "The majority of people up in that area want this thing stopped. I listened to pleas that this is a tradition, that there are people who work in this area and all of the rest and I tried to come up with a compromise," Mr Gormley told The Irish Times last week.
In spite of all this, a lengthy convoy of horseboxes and jeeps showed the way to the event's start point, on top of the windswept Hill of Crockafotha, in Bellewstown. Local supporters cheered on the riders.
Publican Paddy Cummins of the Bellewstown Inn said the stag hunt is a "150-year-old tradition" and a great day out. He said it was a shame the format had changed. "I can't ever remember the stag being injured during the hunt. Those who take part in the hunt are mainly farming people and animal-lovers who don't want to see any harm come to the stag."
Under the licence renewal, the hounds cannot be released until the stag has been captured after laying a scent.
Oliver Russell, chairman of the Ward Union, said the terms of the licence had been met but the resulting hunt was not ideal.
"The licence granted by the Minister is so restrictive that it is not possible to carry out stag hunting in the traditional - or in an any way real - fashion.
"We paraded the hounds as usual, but then we had to put them back into their trailer. We released the deer and four out-riders followed it. They made their best endeavours to catch the deer but they lost him after three or four fields. The rest of the riders followed the track but could not find anything, which meant the hounds could not be released and we had to call it a day," he said.
Mr Russell said the changes had resulted in a disappointing hunt and the Ward Union felt "there is absolutely no point in going on the hunt" if it will not be enjoyed by members.
"We'll go back to the drawing board and see what courses of action can be followed because the current licence is not operable."
Yesterday's hunt was followed by two National Parks and Wildlife Service monitors. A small group of anti-bloodsport protesters also kept tabs.
Bernie Wright of the Association of Hunt Saboteurs said yesterday's display was "an effort by the Ward Union to say 'business as usual'". "It was a real show of bravado by the hunters. They operated within the conditions, but they gave up quickly when they couldn't locate the stag under the new terms . . . It was fine because no animal was killed, but we will continue campaigning until the Wildlife Act is amended to remove the Ward Union exemption," she said.
