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Rovi

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Des Crofton's response to Assoc. of Animal Hunt Saboteurs letter:

Using Murphy to support anti-hunt agenda twisted
From Desmond Crofton

I refer to a letter published in your edition of 22 August by John Tierney from the Association of Animal Hunt Saboteurs.
Is there no level to which Mr Tierney will sink to promote his fundamentalist agenda? He shamefully uses the release of convicted rapist Larry Murphy as some kind of twisted argument against hunting "backed up" by unsubstantiated claims of a link between hunting and violent crimes against humans. There is no such scientific research establishing what Mr Tierney claims simply because no such link exists. A hunter is no more or no less likely to commit a crime than any other sector of society.
However, how does Mr Tierney think Larry Murphy's victim feels about him using her dreadful experience to further his own pathetic agenda? If he needs to resort to using unfortunate victims of violence to support his agenda to ban hunting, it says much about his moral compass.
Finally, may I remind Mr Tierney that only for the intervention of two hunters, Larry Murphy's victim would not have survived and Murphy might still be at large preying on women.

Desmond Crofton,
National Director,
National Association of Regional Game Councils

Sparks

From the Irish Times on Monday:

Birr game and country fair attracts 30,000
EOGHAN MacCONNELL

THE LARGEST gathering of Irish field sports enthusiasts since recent protests over hunting legislation was held on the Taoiseach’s doorstep in Birr, Co Offaly, at the weekend.

An estimated 30,000 people attended the fourth annual Irish Game and Country Fair at Birr Castle where experts in shooting, fishing, equine and canine sports and falconry gathered to socialise and showcase their wares.

“For our guys it is, first of all, almost a kind of pilgrimage,” said National Association of Regional Game Councils director Des Crofton.

The game fair is a highlight in the annual calendar for the 28,000 members of the association. “It is very symbolic, it represents their way of life and everything they are passionate about,” he added.

The fair is supported by Ireland’s main hunting, shooting, fishing and countryside organisations, including IFA Countryside, the Hunting Association of Ireland, Countryside Alliance Ireland, the Fisheries Boards, The Grey Partridge Project and the Deer Societies.

The recent tightening of gun laws and the introduction of new hunting and breeding legislation has led to a strengthening of organisations such as the game councils.

In 2007, the then Tánaiste, Brian Cowen officially opened Birr’s first Game and Country Fair. “I’m not sure what kind of reception he would get here today. To put it mildly, a lot cooler than he would have gotten,” said Mr Crofton.

The director of communications at the fair, Philip Lawton, said record numbers had turned out for the show. With 280 trade stands, the event is the largest gathering of shooting and fishing experts in the Republic. All accommodation in Birr and Roscrea had been booked out as a result of the fair, he said.

Mr Lawton described the fair as family orientated, attracting a cross-section of society.

“There’s a great crowd coming through and there is a great rural-urban divide. We have the biggest clay-shoot prize fund of any clay shoot in the country this year, €14,000. There are guys over for that competition from Scotland and England.”

Other attractions included a medieval village featuring crafts, medieval cooking and woodland craft. Serious competitors enjoyed canine, casting and shooting competitions while the crowd were kept enthralled by displays in horsemanship and falconry.

Offaly County Council chairman, Cllr Barry Cowen, welcomed the success of the event. “I want to congratulate them on the achievement of its growth and we look forward to its continued success,” he said.

Sparks

And from the Irish Independent on Monday:

All things bright and beautiful as 30,000 flock to country fair
By Paul Melia and Eoghan MacConnell
Monday August 30 2010

A STICK-MAKING competition doesn't sound promising but it was all part of the fun that drew 30,000 people to a midlands town yesterday.

The annual Irish Game and Country Fair in Birr Castle, Co Offaly, was a celebration of all manner of country pursuits.

But it wasn't only traditional activities like falconry that were on show -- it also included dancing horses and a competition for the best terrier.

Organiser Philip Lawton said there was a couple of firsts for the fair, with the inaugural Five Nations terrier championships held yesterday and the John McClelland Memorial Cup awarded to the artisan judged to have made the most impressive walking stick.

"Every village in the country had someone to make a stick, but now it's become something of a hobby," he said.

"We had the first-ever stick-making competition. These are fancy walking sticks which people carve heads on to and it was run by the Celtic Stickmakers."

Four-legged entrants from the Republic, the North, England, Scotland and Wales competed to be crowned best terrier in the Five Nations championships.

"These terriers are used for pest and fox control. It's the first time it's ever been held," he said.

"The judges are looking for good working dogs. They have to be strong and fit for purpose. The judges have years of experience and they can work it out from the dogs themselves.

Ducks

"In the normal course of events they'd keep down rats, help cull foxes and minks.

"There isn't a waterway in Ireland that isn't plagued by mink -- they destroy fish stocks and eat ducks."

The recent tightening of gun laws and the introduction of new hunting and breeding legislation has led to a strengthening of organisations such as the National Association of Regional Game Councils (NARGC).

In 2007, the then Tanaiste, Brian Cowen officially opened Birr's first Game and Country Fair.

"I'm not sure what kind of reception he would get here today," NARGC director Des Crofton said. "To put it mildly, a lot cooler than he would have gotten."

But there were plenty of other distractions available.

There was nine horse-drawn carriages of different types in a parade, dancing horses from the Cochise Stud and lessons for children in how to fire a longbow.

A claypigeon shoot with €14,000 in prizes attracted a "huge" number of entries.

Some 10,000 attended the fair on Saturday, and 25,000 yesterday.

They included Josh Glancy, (8) from Castlepollard, Co Westmeath, who took part in the falconry display, pictured above.

"It's the biggest game fair in Ireland, it caters for the shooting people, the anglers, the gun dog-training people and those involved in equestrian events," organiser Mr Lawton said.

- Paul Melia and Eoghan MacConnell

Rovi

http://www.limerickpost.ie/index.php/navigation-mainmenu-30/local-news/2269-war-waged-on-killer-mink.html

Article also appears on front page of Saturday 18 September print edition.

War waged on killer mink

Written by Marie Hobbins
Thursday, 16 September 2010 08:37


POLICE your pets, was the warning issued this week to animal lovers.
Horses, dogs, cats, birds and fish and other animals are under threat from a new strain of killer that takes no prisoners. A number of casualties have already been reported. So serious is the situation that City Council is drawing up an action policy to tackle the hordes of mink, before the predators make further inroads.

The city manager has been made aware of the situation and councillors have been informed that the mink, which are not natural to Ireland, have been attacking and killing birds, fish and animals.

“They have a devastating effect on all wildlife - but they also attack dogs and horses . They don’t run in packs but already they have wiped out flocks of coot and moorhead. Birdwatch Ireland is very worried about the effect they have had on ground nesting birds,” Sean Griffin, a member of the Environmental Strategic Policy Committee, told a meeting of the City Council’s Environmental Committee.

“These mink have to be trapped and eradicated and I’m very glad that our fishermen will be brought in on this as the mink could wipe out our salmon stocks as well - we’ll hardly see one leaping upstream this year”.
Informing his colleagues that in captivity the mink’s coat is brown, and is black when they are free to roam, Mr Griffin described minks as killers.

“Water hens on our river banks are nearly all gone, because of the mink - they will have to be exterminated.
“I know of one man who lives on the Mill Road, Corbally, and is an expert on the river and its wildlife - he was stunned to recently find that ducks, water hens and other species that regularly came up to his riverside house were found to have been killed by the mink”.

City Hall executive, Paul Foley, said that the provision of finance for an eradication programme would be a hurdle.
“Eradication is not cheap but we will, though, be drafting a policy for their control as a priority.”

Rovi

Scan of print edition:


Some evidence provided to the Court refers to THIS criminal incident.

Discussion thread HERE.

Rovi

Scanned from the print edition of the Gorey Guardian, Tuesday September 14, 2010.

Rovi

http://www.con-telegraph.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1391:lawfully-held-firearms&catid=74:letters&Itemid=142

Lawfully held firearms

Thursday, 30 September 2010 10:13

Sir

I refer to the article published in your September 14 edition of The Connaught Telegraph – 'Gardaí oppose license for Beretta handgun'
As the national governing body in Ireland for non Olympic pistol shooting I would like to state some facts for the record.
The firearms licensing system changed in July 2009 and many hundreds of individuals who had held firearms certificates for certain pistols for more than five years were refused renewals under the new system. Many others were not refused certificates for the same pistols.


The legislation allowed for an appeal of such decisions to the District Court and presently there are many hundreds of cases awaiting hearings in the district court, with more than 170 such cases having been referred for Judicial Review.
Target shooting with pistols is an internationally recognised sport and is alive and well in Ireland, both north and south.
The individual named in the court report participates in competitive target shooting with his pistol, just like many hundreds of other individuals in Ireland.
The court report referred to the type of pistol being inappropriate to target shooting. Preceding court cases in the District Court and two High Court cases disagree with the evidence put forward by the gardaí in the reported case and to date up to 90 per cent of court appeals against decisions of the Chief Superintendent have been successful and individuals have been subsequently licensed as they had previously been for target shooting with similar firearms as being appealed for in this case.
Evidence from expert witnesses in previous cases has validated that the type of firearm being applied for is a target firearm and assertions of it being an offensive military police weapon have been overturned in both District Court and the High Court. Legitimate target shooting is carried out with such firearms.
Assertion by the gardaí as reported in the court report that the individual can carry out target shooting with an Olympic style .22 pistol are unfounded. The rules just do not allow for such a situation and it would be like entering a formula 1 race on a bicycle; the rules just do not allow it.
The court report indicates the gardaí fear the potential for individual firearms owners to be potential targets for 'tiger kidnappings', this has not happened to date and there is clear evidence that the criminals have no issue sourcing firearms from abroad.
One would have imagined if the security of the individual was of such importance to the gardaí that they had requested the suppression of the individual's details in the media.
The court report quoted garda ballistics expert evidence with respect to the murder of two persons in Dublin with legally held firearms that had been stolen.
It was not stated in the evidence given by the garda ballistics expert but it is possible that the witness was referring to the double murder reported in the Tribune on July 11, 2010, 'Double murder carried out with stolen PSNI gun'. If
one has an interest in the detail of the report it is published on the Tribune website.
It is worth noting that the gun recovered by the gardaí after the murder was reported to have been stolen from an off-duty PSNI officer, smuggled south and sold to criminals. At the point where it was stolen I would expect that it would be more accurate to have identified the gun as illegal, but then we are unclear from the evidence if this was the firearm being referred to.
The introduction of the amendments to the Firearms Acts contained in the 2006 Criminal Justice Act were welcomed by this association and many other shooting groups. They provided a mechanism for the even application of the firearms acts across the country.
Garda Superintendents and Chief Superintendents' when making decisions on the issuing of a firearms certificate are bound by the firearms legislation but guided by extensive guidelines issued by the Garda Commissioner on the practical implementation of the Firearms Acts. With such support and information we ask the question why are individuals who have lawfully held firearms without any issue having to take their cases to the District Court and why are there over 170 cases in the High Court for Judicial Review.
The estimate for the cost of the appeals lodged to the High Court is expected to be €7.5 million, sufficient to immunise 75 per cent of the female population in Ireland with the HPV vaccine for cervical cancer.
The majority of individuals who have appealed their cases to the District Court have won their appeals. The two landmark cases appealed to the High Court have been returned in favour of the firearms applicant.
As the national governing body for non-Olympic pistol shooting sports in Ireland we recognise the value and position of this excellent sport. There is not one shred of evidence that lawfully held firearms for target shooting contribute significantly to crime. We wish to get on with our sport and not waste valuable and hard earned tax payers money in defending the indefensible.

Kind regards

Declan Keogh,
Spokesman,
National Association of Sporting Rifle and Pistol Clubs.

Sparks

A funny one today, for a change, from the Irish Times letters page:

Licence to kill?
Madam, – Recently I received from the Garda Síochána my smart new three-year firearm certificate, about the size of a credit card. It gives my name, address, phone number and then underneath: DOB 24/09/1934 and expiry date 19/07/2013. I wonder is my expiry date a promise, or, considering my advanced age, merely an expectation? – Yours, etc,

Sparks

From today's Irish Times:

Big poaching threat to Leinster deer


A deer in the snow in Phoenix Park yesterday afternoon. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins


A COMBINATION of cold weather and poaching could wipe out the deer population in Leinster.

Liam McGarry, president of the Irish Deer Society and secretary of the Leinster Deer Society, said yesterday that horrendous damage had been inflicted on the deer population by poachers during January’s cold weather.

Issuing an appeal to deer hunters in Leinster to stop hunting until the weather improved, Mr McGarry said poaching had gone out of control, especially in Wicklow.

“There has been a dramatic increase in poaching since the recession kicked in and last year, there was wholesale slaughter of deer during the bad weather.

“Animals which are in herds at this time of year came down from the high ground for food and shelter and were slaughtered by poachers.”

He said the poachers, who normally have licences, had been driving around in vans at night using lights to identify the deer and kill them, often with silencers fitted to their high-powered rifles.

“Someone is going to get killed because these operators shoot without knowing what is behind their quarry. We have already had reports of cattle and horses been shot and at least one report of a dwelling house hit by gunfire,” Mr McGarry added.

“It is only a matter of time before someone is killed or seriously injured because of the amount of poaching involved and the way these people operate.”

Mr McGarry said the Wildlife Service and the Garda had been putting in a special effort in recent weeks to combat poaching and a number of prosecutions were expected.

“However, it is virtually impossible to get a conviction unless the poachers are caught in the act. They have licences which allow them take a certain amount of deer and they use these as cover.”

He said there was a strong demand for venison, which was selling at €1.80 a kilo, and this was considerable money for a 40/50kg deer. Poaching was taking place all over the country but was particularly bad in Co Wicklow, which was difficult to police and where there was ready demand.

He was particularly concerned about the use of silencers on high-velocity rifles which were allowed here and in Britain.

“This aids the poacher and there is no other reason for them except for professional full-time personnel who would have to have a silencer for health and safety reasons.

“My main message is to ask genuine hunters to stop taking animals until the weather improves because we know what is happening and what happened with poaching last year.”

Sparks

From today's Irish Times (thanks to Grizzly45 for the spot):

Project proposed to manage number of Wicklow deer
SEÁN Mac CONNELL, Agriculture Correspondent

A PROJECT to establish a deer-management plan for Co Wicklow, where the population of the animals is considered unsustainable, has been proposed by the Wicklow Deer Management Group.

The deer population in Wicklow and Dublin could be as high as 40,000, but no one is certain of the figure. The proposed pilot project is intended to establish the number involved.

The report, produced by consultants Purser Tarleton Russell and grant-aided by the Heritage Council, says deer are an important resource in Co Wicklow and, if sustainably managed, are of significant economic, social and heritage value to a wide variety of stakeholders.

“Unfortunately, current population levels of deer are considered unsustainable, resulting in economic and ecological damage and reduced sporting value,” it said.

It found red and hybrid deer distributions increased by 175 per cent between 1952 and 2008.

The Sika deer population increased by 767 per cent in the same period, while the number of fallow deer did not change.

While there was no verifiable data recording the deer population in the county, the latest count, carried out by aerial survey of 20,122 hectares in the autumn of 2009, showed densities ranging from three deer to 29 per sq km.

It said Coillte carried out counts in 2008 in certain areas, which showed between 22 and 44 deer per sq km. Hunting returns also gave an indication of numbers.

The deer densities recorded would be regarded as exceptionally high, the report added, and while there was no absolute figure for sustainable deer densities, evidence from other European countries suggests a range of between three and 10 animals per sq km.

The report said the number of deer shot by hunters in Wicklow had increased steadily, with 12,849 reported shot there in 2009, 44 per cent of all deer reportedly shot in the Republic that year.

It outlined the negative aspects of overpopulation of deer as loss of agricultural production; damage to forestry, farms and gardens; road traffic damage; biodiversity loss; health risks to cattle and welfare problems in wild deer herds.

It proposed establishing pilot deer-management areas at Ballinastoe and Ashford, at a cost of €46,800, which would set standards for management of the animals. The commissioning group represents deer societies, farmers, foresters and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Sparks

From today's Examiner (and thanks to Grizzly 45 for the spot):

Gun owners urged to secure arms after theft
By Sean O’Riordan
Thursday, January 27, 2011

GARDAÍ have warned gun enthusiasts to ensure their weapons are properly secured after three firearms, including a Glock semi-automatic pistol, were stolen from a house in north Cork.

A senior garda spokesman said gardaí were worried that the guns might have fallen into the hands of a criminal gang.

The Austrian-made Glock 17 pistol was stolen along with a rifle and shotgun from a house in Mallow.

The house was broken into last Tuesday between 3.30pm and 6pm, when its owner was temporarily out.

The thieves also took 25 rounds of ammunition, suitable for the rifle and shotgun. No ammunition for the Glock 17 was taken.

Gardaí say three men were seen in the area carrying two cases and a bag.

They are also anxious to hear from anybody who may have seen a beige-coloured Audi A4, said to have an 06 D registration, which was also seen in the area at around 3.45pm.

Inspector Senan Ryan said: "We are warning firearms owners that they should ensure their weapons are properly secured at all times when they aren’t being used. We would also remind them that they should store their ammunition in a secure place, but away from the firearms."

Anybody with information is asked to call Mallow Garda Station at 022-21105.

Meanwhile, in a separate investigation, gardaí yesterday said they had questioned more than 60 people in connection with the disappearance of a Heckler & Koch owned by the navy.

The 9mm weapon, and 100 rounds of ammunition, went missing from the LÉ Niamh. Its loss was reported to gardaí on January 13.

Sparks

From the Limerick Leader:

Limerick man wins appeal over firearms cert
Published Date: 29 January 2011

A COUNTY Limerick man has won his appeal at Kilmallock District Court after being refused a firearms certificate for two guns. Chief Supt David Sheahan had opposed the man's application to keep a revolver and pistol made by Smith and Wesson and Sig Sauer respectively.

A number of these appeals have taken place around the country following the Criminal Justice Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2009. The legislation imposed extra conditions including good and sufficient reason to possess handguns of high calibre, and that the firearm had to be appropriate for its intended use.

The apellant's solicitor, Eugene Murphy, asked that the name of his client, place of residence, where the items are stored and where he engages in his specific pursuit not be reported on due to the sensitivity of the case.

Judge Mary O'Halloran granted this request for security reasons.

The head of the Gardai in Limerick, Chief Supt Sheahan opposed the application due to the consequences of the guns getting in to the wrong hands.

He said his only concern was the safety of the public and the Gardai in his division.

The court heard the appellant has been shooting since he was 13 years old using shortarm and longarm guns.

His solicitor, Eugene Murphy, said his client takes part in a specialised target shooting event and the only guns that can be used are the ones that have been refused a firearm certificate.

He is of exemplary character and reliability and it should be granted."

Judge O'Halloran said in the court's view the appellant should be allowed his licence to both weapons.

Chief Supt David Sheahan opposed the firearms certificate being granted

Cass

From todays Irish Times 5/Feb/2011 (Originally spotted by Grizzly45)

State facing 200 cases against new gun laws

CONOR LALLY, Crime Correspondent

THE STATE is facing a serious legal challenge to the ban on handguns and restrictions on other firearms, with almost 200 gun enthusiasts lodging judicial review cases against new gun laws.

The large number of cases represents an unprecedented level of challenge to any legislation introduced in recent years.
According to the Department of Justice, a total of 175 judicial reviews had been lodged at the end of last year arising from the refusal of the Garda to grant gun licences.

That figure is now believed to be closer to 200 cases.

Those refused gun licences have become dissatisfied at the manner in which their applications were handled by the Garda and at what they see as the lack of transparency in the appeals process.

National director of the National Association of Regional Game Councils Des Crofton said the gun enthusiasts his organisation represented were not being told the grounds upon which they were being refused a licence.
“People who have had firearms for years and years are now being told they can’t have one, but they are not being told why,” he said.
“The local chief superintendents or superintendents refusing the applications won’t give the applicants their file, so when the applicant goes to court to fight it they really have no grounds for the appeal.”

Over 200 people have taken their cases to the District Courts to appeal the licence refusal and have lost.
Some 175 of these have lodged judicial reviews. Mr Crofton said he expected “hundreds more” cases.

Under new laws introduced in 2009 by the then minister for justice Dermot Ahern, handguns were banned and new restrictions were placed on other weapons.
The Government’s decision to introduce the tougher gun licensing regime was prompted by the growing number of handguns being licensed.
The Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act was enacted in August 2009, banning handguns and making it much harder for people to get licences for other weapons.

Those who apply for a gun licence must show they have good reason for wanting a gun.
They must also demonstrate they are sound of mind, do not have serious criminal convictions and have a modern safe in which to store weapons.

Mr Crofton claims those being refused licences are not being told what requirement they failed to meet.
He also claims restrictions introduced on rifles above a certain calibre are being interpreted by the Garda as a “blanket ban”.
He says many of the judicial review cases before the courts are challenging the Garda’s interpretation of gun laws in all these areas.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice said because it was the Garda that granted gun licences, the matter was one for the force.

A Garda spokesman said because there were cases before the courts it would be inappropriate for him to comment.

Sparks

From the Sunday Business Post:

Hogan may act to lift ban on stag hunting
20 March 2011 By John Burke and Niamh Connolly

The new environment minister, Phil Hogan, has contacted the leaders of the country’s main pro-hunting lobby group to thank them for endorsing Fine Gael during the general election.

This could be the first sign of a move to reverse last year’s ban on stag hunting. Hogan had already pledged before the election that Fine Gael would reinstate the activity, banned by former Green minister John Gormley last year. Gormley’s legislation put an end to the activities of the country’s only stag hunt, the Ward Union Hunt. However, the commitment was not in the published joint Fine Gael/ Labour Programme for Government.

Hogan phoned the director of the National Association of Regional Game Councils (NARGC), Des Crofton, during the election campaign, Crofton told The Sunday Business Post.

Hogan’s call followed the publication of a document which endorsed Fine Gael’s pro-hunting policies. The document was written by Crofton on behalf of an umbrella group of 16 field sports and hunting organisations with a combined membership of more than 300,000 people, which called itself Rural Ireland Says Enough (Rise).

However, according to several key party figures, Labour would not want the issue of stag hunting to appear on the government’s legislative agenda at a time of economic turmoil.

‘‘It would cause difficulties for Labour if the stag hunting issue found its way onto the agenda at a time of unprecedented challenges including an economic and banking crisis and ensuring that people do not lose their homes," said a source. ‘‘It is something that Labour would respond to unfavourably."

Hogan has gone on the record since the election, saying that issues such as the stag hunting ban would be dealt with by the individual ‘line minister’, in this case himself.

Rise, an amalgamation of shooting, fishing and hunting groups including the NARGC and the Hunting Association of Ireland (HAI) came together last year to oppose the legislative ban. The group played a prominent role in lobbying rural TDs. However, that campaign failed to prevent the introduction last June of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act, which prohibited the hunting of deer with two hounds or more.

The group secured a written guarantee from the Fine Gael party that it would repeal the legislation and reinstate the carted stag hunt, practised by the Ward Union Stag Hunt for 156 years until last year.

When Rise published its assessment of the political parties during the general election, the document included limited praise for the Labour Party and for Sinn Fe€ in, but was heavily critical of the two outgoing government parties.

Sparks

From the Sun... yeah, I know, but if you ignore the usual photos you'd expect from the Sun, the text is a nice read to see in a tabloid...

Olympic dream being shot to bits

A STUNNING Olympic pistol shooting hopeful has slammed the UK's archaic gun laws for stunting the sport's development.

Georgina Geikie, 26, from Okehampton, Devon, told SunSport: "This is sporting shooting, it's target shooting, so it's no different to Steve Backley with his javelin.

"This is just our sporting piece of equipment, so I'm just trying to persuade the public that this is a sport."

Pistol shooters were banned from training in the UK under the 1997 Firearms Act but the rules were relaxed last year, to allow shooting under controlled conditions.

However, the Cardiff University graduate believes they should go further. She added: "From 1996 until 2010 all our pistols were out in Switzerland. We couldn't even have them in the country to hold.

"As of last year we were able to have them in the country for three or four months but we couldn't shoot them.

"So we could dry fire with the gun, which is squeezing the trigger. But you're not shooting a bullet at all.

"We are able to shoot them in the UK now but under very strict regulations and only in two venues. One is in Surrey and the other in Bedford."

Olympic competition in 2012 takes place at the Woolwich Barracks in London. She expects it to be similar to the Commonwealth Games in 2002, where the pistols were escorted from Heathrow airport to Manchester and only handed to athletes the day before competition.

Geikie, nicknamed 'Gorgs', has also had to contend with having her funding cut at the start of the year by British Shooting and her pistol coach resigning.

Determined to double her efforts to reach 2012 but restricted to three or four weekends a year with live fire, she continued: "It was a setback but it's made me stronger and I'm thankful for all the support I've had from home. It's really made me want this even more."

Geikie has applied for funding from local sponsors to continue her training, buoyed by her Commonwealth pairs bronze medal in Delhi last October.

British Shooting told SunSport she's got to focus on her individual performances. Team leader Phil Scanlan said: "It was purely performance related. She had a bad run of form.

"Like all sports it's performance based and there's no wish to single anyone out. If Gorgs shoots well she's in, if she doesn't she's not and that's a fact we've had to live with since the changes."

Sparks

From the Herald:

Garda and HSE files strewn on street
How was confidential data left dumped on road near school?
By Stephen Dunne

Wednesday May 04 2011

GARDAI are investigating after a box containing confidential medical documents and prescription drugs was discovered outside a primary school.

The documents were marked with the HSE logo, which onlookers said contained personal medical details as well as a gun licence form, medication and syringes were found strewn across the Convent Road in Wicklow town last week.

The shocking discovery was made just yards from the pedestrian entrance to the Holy Rosary girls' national school at lunchtime last Wednesday.

Gardai have yet to establish how the material ended up dumped on the road but are liaising with the HSE after they recovered the box and its contents yesterday.

locate

"We are trying to locate where this box came from and who was the first person to locate it," a source told the Herald yesterday.

Last night the HSE confirmed an investigation was under way and said the box belonged to one of their staff.

The pictures show how among the find was Zyprexa, a drug commonly used to treat bi-polar and schizophrenia conditions, Crestor, a high cholesterol treatment, Prozit, an anti-depressant drug and Akineton, a medicine used to treat Parkinson's. All are prescription medication.

Also visible in the pictures is a Garda FCA2 form, used to amend a gun licence, as well as HSE headed paper with medical information contained on the documents.

A local man, who wished not to be named, who was on the scene of the discovery, told the Herald of his shock at discovering what the material was.

"I was walking past and saw someone looking at all this rubbish strewn across the road but when I got up close I was shocked with what I saw," the man, speaking on the basis of anonymity, said.

"There were numerous tablets and what looked like official HSE papers with personal details on them which were clearly visible.

"There were also those syringes they use to insert drips and even a couple of documents with garda markings on them."

The man said it was lucky that gardai had managed to locate the box and its contents saving it from falling into the wrong hands.

"It looked like the box could have fallen off the back of a truck or out of a car or something but God only knows how it actually got there," he said.

medication

"It's lucky that the schools were away on their Easter break because I dread to think what could have happened if a young girl had got her hands on some of the medication.

"It's not really right that this type of stuff would just end up in the middle of a road and irrespective of how it got there it should be kept safe, locked away somewhere."

A HSE statement to the Herald last night said: "The HSE is cooperating fully with the gardai into the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a box and contents, the property of a staff member."

hnews@herald.ie

Sparks

From the Examiner (with thanks to CJHaughey for the spot):

Having a shot at adventure
By Joe McNamee
Saturday, May 14, 2011



INITIALLY, it was very appealing: a whirlwind skite around the deep south, cramming a variety of adventure activities into just two days.

Who doesn’t love a bit of hillwalking? But there was also rally driving, shooting and a spot of extreme climbing. Hmmm.

You see, I’d be more your cautious type: when the doodoo hits the fan, I’m leading the panic-stricken flight, trampling over women, wearing small children as body armour, screaming like a boiled hyena. So, frankly, I need a little ‘moral support’. And that can only be provided by one man, my old compadre, Blond, James Blond (JB).

"JB! Me old segosha! How do you fancy a little hillwalking around the beautiful sunny south?" "Emmmm … ?" Says JB. "Good man!" says I, "See you Friday at the crack of dawn."

....

Two hours later, near Kilfinane, Co Limerick, we are driving cautiously up a rough track, into forest in the beautiful Ballyhoura mountains, misty rain shrouding the peak. It is the Lazy Dog Clay Pigeon Shooting Range. JB and I are gun novices, wild-eyed and wary in our ignorance. Proprietor Ray sports a shooting jacket, festooned in gun paraphenalia and is, like ‘Rally’ Tom, completely bald, but he soon puts us at ease.

Ray is Ray Sampson, former Limerick hurler, a sports addict who needed a replacement after retiring from the game. He and the Lazy Dog shooting team are the All-Ireland Club Champions.

Ray does a good job of settling us but there is still the matter of the virgin shot with the beautifully tooled Beretta shotgun. I am wincing, eyes near closed, aiming vaguely skyward, anticipating a mighty recoil, a mighty bang despite ear defenders. Pull. Ray releases one of the ‘pigeons’, saucer-sized, orange, clay discs. I’m not even looking. I jerk the trigger. Bang. Hey, that wasn’t too bad. "Pull," I shout, another orange projectile soaring. I pull the trigger. Jesus Christ! It shatters apart in the sky. I’ve hit the buckin’ thing!

Then it’s JB’s turn. He fires. Close, says Ray, kindly. Ray is kind a few more times. "Ah, emasculated all over again," sighs JB. Ray gives him a few pointers. He shoots again, misses but a second shot explodes the pigeon on the way down. "Well done, JB!" enthuses Ray, "best shot of the day so far." And that’s us sold, blasting away until the clock calls a halt to a grand afternoon’s sport. What’s all the fuss about guns? Why, I might even get a couple for my toddlers.

We’re off to Ballyhoura Rifle and Pistol Club range sited in an abandoned old quarry near Glenroe, 15 miles away. It seems a bit pointless, now we have mastered shooting, but the appointment is booked. Dave O’Dea is a former prop-forward like fellow Bruff-man John Hayes. And like Hayes, Tom and Ray, has a shiny, shaved pate, today covered in a range officer cap. An old sweet jar is brimful of his medals, plaques and trophies, won in national and international marksman competition.

"Many first-timers who come here think they can already shoot," says Dave, "from watching James Bond." He tells us of a couple where the wife completely outshot her husband. "Why?" Dave asks himself. "Because she listened to my instruction."

We nod vigorously at Dave, very much in the wife camp. JB is first, aiming for targets 55 yards away. With clay pigeons, you move and shoot; for target shooting, you strive for stillness, halfway through exhaling, hold the breath, squeeze the trigger. Except it is very hard to relax, squinting down telescopic sights, hands quivering, anticipating report and recoil. We try .22 calibre bolt-action rifles with varying degrees of success.

Then Dave introduces a .308 calibre Sacko long-range rifle which he shoots a 1,000 yards in competition. JB pulls the trigger. There is an enormous explosion, I jump out of my skin. Dave, who doesn’t waste smiles, dishes out a broad grin.

Afterwards, JB confides he didn’t know what was going on other than he had shot himself and was now dead. He is very reluctant to take his remaining shots, I am equally reluctant to try at all. But we do, wincing at each thunderclap. A .22 calibre Sig Sauer pistol comes as a relief and we empty magazines rapidly. Dave tells me I have potential but I am still unnerved after ‘Big Bertha’. Tell Santa the guns are off the Christmas list.

Too late for our hillwalk, we soothe frayed nerves overnight in the welcoming Deebert Arms Hotel in Kilmallock.

...

Read more: http://www.examiner.ie/weekend/features/having-a-shot-at-adventure-154354.html#ixzz1Mo5S2MWJ

Sparks

Letters to the Editor, Examiner, June 2:

Chelsea over Cork
Thursday, June 02, 2011
I NOTE that we have given €2.5m to support our entry to the Chelsea Flower Show.
Undoubtedly, this has been a wonderful show of support for Chelsea. A shame then, that we cannot spend even a tenth of that supporting local sporting events like the Fermoy European Open, which brings target shooters from all over the world to spend their money in Cork. But, I suppose we must support Chelsea over Cork, lest we lose a precious flower show.

Letters to the Editor, Irish Times, June 3:

Madam, – How can we justify spending €2.5 million on what amounts to a fancy hanging baskets for some potted plants – which frankly does little for Irish tourism but large amounts for the Chelsea Flower Show – while at the same time failing to pass on any funding to sports events like the upcoming Creedmoor match?

In contrast, it will be the highlight of the shooting year and will bring in tourism from the US, UK, and further afield, and which, unlike the hanging gardens of Ballincollig, can become a recurring, regular event? – Yours, etc,

Letters to the Editor, Examiner, June 4:

Government needs to listen
SATURDAY, JUNE 04, 2011
MICHAEL NOONAN has admitted in a parliamentary question that he omitted seeking expert advice from the Pensions Board before introducing the pension tax.
Alan Shatter has said that, even though there are maybe 20 people in the state who understand the legislative mess that his predecessors have made of the Firearms Act, and despite the Law Reform Commission’s 2006 recommendations to fix that mess, he will be dissolving the Firearms Consultation Panel (the expert panel that advises on firearms law). And Richard Bruton’s recent proposed pay cuts for Sunday workers in the restaurant trade were likewise not run past anyone who knew the field before being aired. We voted for this government because the last one wouldn’t listen and proved to be incompetent. Maybe the current government should be listening to experts more, lest the same happen to them?

Sparks

In today's Examiner:

Airlines do disservice to our Olympic heroes
SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 2011
THE report that fewer budget flights are being taken as companies, like Ryanair, hike their prices for "low-cost" flights by 12% this year, didn’t surprise some of us at all.

Next week, the Irish National Team heads for Munich, where it will try to win Olympic quota places for Ireland in the Munich World Cup in three Olympic target shooting events. Some "Irish" airlines have refused to take them there at all. Others will take them, but will charge them hundreds of euro in excess baggage fees for the firearms they must use in this Olympic sport. This shabby treatment of a national team in an Olympic sport and this blatant price gouging is the norm amongst our "Irish" airlines these days. I can remember when the presence of an Irish team on such flights was announced by the captain with pride to the passengers. Perhaps, when the IATA wonders why fewer people are flying and why the industry is slowly collapsing, they should be looking not only at accounting figures, but at intangibles like shared pride in such things as being the national airline carrying the national team to compete and win medals for Ireland?

Mark Dennehy

Sparks

In today's Examiner:

Missing the target
FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2011

A FEW years ago, during the Athens Olympics, Moore McDowell said that it was a good thing that the Irish clay pigeon shooter Derek Burnett failed to win a gold medal, for if he had, we’d be calling for a shooting range in every parish.

Now that we have decided that it makes perfect sense instead to shoot craps in Two-Mile Borris, can we assume that supporting an Olympic sport like target shooting with adequate facilities is no longer seen by the wise people of An Bord Planela as a bad idea? And if so, can we call for a range in every county at least?

Sparks

From today's Examiner:

Make firearms panel a permanent body
Tuesday, June 21, 2011

OVER the next 10 days, we will see several target shooting competitions being run in Ireland, from club level matches, to national level matches, to an enormous international shooting competition (the Creedmoor Cup, last held in Ireland in 1875) and the Irish team and their fans and spectators will also be representing Ireland in the Olympic target shooting world cup in Munich.

These sportsmen and sportswomen achieve what they do despite the many draconian obstacles put in their path by the current Firearms Act, a body of Irish law which is so poorly compiled that the Law Reform Commission has been calling for its overhaul since 2006.

At most only one or two dozen people in the entire state are familiar with the entire body of Irish firearms law because it is made up of 18 separate acts, two EU directives and over 60 statutory instruments.

Might I suggest to the Minister for Justice that instead of winding up the Firearms Consultation Panel — the body of experts from all fields who advise the Minister on firearms legislation — he instead make it a permanent body and undertake to carry out the Law Reform Commission’s recommended overhaul of the act, and thus make it harder for criminals to obtain firearms instead of the current situation where criminals find it easy to get weapons but Olympic athletes find it exceptionally hard to get sports equipment?

Yours, etc...

Sparks

From today's Independent:

Men of this calibre need financial support
Wednesday June 22 2011

I'D like to congratulate Ray Kane on setting a new Irish record of 584 in Men's Olympic Air Rifle at the World Cup in Munich on Saturday.

Perhaps the Irish Sports Council will see fit to support his sporting endeavours in the run-up to the London Games, since target shooting is one of the few Olympic sports we have a realistic chance of medalling in and which is currently unsupported by the Sports Council.

Yours, etc

Sparks

From today's Independent:

Tourists should take a shot at other sports
Friday July 01 2011
DEPUTY Dara Murphy feels we are not capitalising on our golfers to bring tourism into the country. Perhaps Mr Murphy might take a look at shooting for a moment instead of golf.

Once he sees how little we have capitalised on this sport -- such as the Creedmoor Cup (a US-European sporting event that predates the Ryder Cup and every other US-European event by about 50 years) or the Fermoy International, not to mention the success of our Olympic shooters -- he will feel so sick at the lost opportunities that he'll forget all about golf.

Then he'll realise we've thrown away the opportunity to act as a training camp for shooters going to the London Olympic Games in 2012, simply because of the mess ministers McDowell and Ahern made of the Firearms Act. And when he calculates how much money that could have brought in, he'll be so sick he'll just forget all about sport in general.

Sparks

From today's Irish Independent:

Northern Ireland's Culture Minister Caral Ni Chuilin welcomes news of the visit of the Olympic Torch with children from Belfast primary schools

Former Irish world champions deserve to carry Olympic torch
Friday July 08 2011

OLYMPIC Council of Ireland president Pat Hickey has said that the Olympic Torch for the 2012 games stands an excellent chance of coming through Ireland en route to London on July 7.

Might I be the first to suggest Derek Burnett and Philip Murphy as torchbearers?

Both have won world championships for Ireland in Olympic shotgun shooting, both have dedicated decades of their lives to this sport, and neither has ever received the kind of accolades they deserve for these accomplishments.

Surely winning a world championship for Ireland is enough to let them carry the torch here?

Sparks

From today's Examiner:

Irish duo deserve to carry Olympic torch
SATURDAY, JULY 09, 2011

WITH the wonderful news from Pat Hickey that the Olympic torch for the 2012 Games stands an excellent chance of coming through Ireland in July on its way to London, might I suggest Derek Burnett and Philip Murphy as torchbearers?

Both have won world championships for Ireland in Olympic shotgun shooting, both have dedicated decades of their life to the pursuit of this sport, and neither has ever received the kind of accolades they deserved for these accomplishments.

Surely winning a world championships for Ireland is enough for Ireland to let them carry the torch in Ireland?

Sparks

From today's Irish Times:

READY, AIM, FIRE Natalya Coyle picks a target with her laser gun. PHOTOGRAPHER: DARA Mac DONAILL

PENTATHLON: It’s tough enough becoming an Olympic-level athlete in, say, fencing. But to compete in running, swimming, horse-riding and shooting as well, and on the same day, takes huge levels of ambition and perseverance. Fortunately, Ireland’s modern pentathlon hopeful Natalya Coyle has both, discovers IAN O'RIORDAN

"DO YOU WANT me to get my gun?”

Not the most auspicious start to an interview, you’d think, although it could have been worse: Natalya Coyle could also have threatened her sword.

“You should try getting through airport security,” she tells me later, all her weapons now packed into a long, black sports bag. “I was nearly arrested in China last month, and had to call my dad, frantically. I suppose when you’ve got a sword and mask and a gun in your bag, people get suspicious. The secret is to arrive for the flight very, very early.”

It’s important to explain here that Coyle is not a character from Mission: Impossible, but rather a rising star in the modern pentathlon – one of the original, and purposely designed, Olympic events. It’s arguably the toughest too, given it’s actually a combination of five events – fencing, swimming, horse riding, running and shooting – all completed in one day, and intended to simulate the demands of a 19th-century cavalry soldier behind enemy lines (without the killing part).

“So where’s your horse?” I ask, half-jokingly. We’re at Santry Stadium, where Coyle has just finished an hour-long session of running and shooting, with two hours of fencing to follow. “Sure maybe you could run up to Ballymun and jump on one of the strays?” Actually, that’s not as silly as it sounds: the modern pentathlon has some strange rules, one of which is that all competitors must draw a horse randomly out of a hat. They then get just 20 minutes to practise on it before off they go, over 15 jumps.

“Oh yes, sometimes it can get a little hairy,” says Coyle. “At a competition in Poland a few weeks ago, I drew a horse that had just arrived from Warsaw, having travelled all night. She was crazy. Luckily I can ride quite well, although I still had a lot of trouble controlling it. The girl who rode the horse after me got on to the thing and was thrown right off. So there’s a lot of luck in what horse you draw, although it helps a lot if you’re a strong rider.”

Indeed, that’s where it all began. Growing up in Tara, Co Meath, Coyle joined a pony club, purely as a hobby. At age 15 she tried her first tetrathlon, which is a combination of riding, running, swimming and shooting. “And I was really bad,” she says. “But I’m just very competitive by nature, just wanted to get better. Then I made a junior international team, and I really caught the competitive bug. I wanted to see what else was out there, how good I could be.

“My friend Eanna Bailey told me about the modern pentathlon, and it seemed like an obvious progression. I was in fourth year in school when I did my first competition, in Millfield in England, and that showed me this is not an event you can mess around with. After that I started to train seriously.”

In her first year of major competition, in 2010, she progressed beyond all expectations to become the first Irish representative in modern pentathlon’s World Cup final. It’s an exclusive event, where only the top 36 in the world are invited. Only 20 years old, Coyle has repeated that feat this year, and is in London this weekend for the 2011 World Cup final, which effectively acts as a dress rehearsal for the London Olympics, just over a year away. There are no guarantees in what is a highly competitive and unpredictable sport, but if Coyle simply maintains this form over the next 12 months, then Olympic qualification is the reward in wait.

“Which is just as well,” she says, “because I applied for tickets anyway, in the lottery, just to see what I’d get. And I got nothing. Although all the family got tickets. Maybe that’s a sign of something. But I can’t get carried away either. There’s a long way to go.”

All this has been achieved against the backdrop of her university commitments, and in a country where modern pentathlon is still something of a novelty. It’s not like she’s come from a great sporting background either: her father Ray “apparently” once ran marathons, but is better known in the crisp business, as the head of Largo Foods.

Coyle has just finished her second year of a business-economics degree at Trinity (“just passed my exams”), and admits this hasn’t been all smooth sailing. In fact, Trinity made the unprecedented decision of allowing her to break up her course modules, effectively splitting the term, and also deferred certain exams to allow her to compete abroad in key events, especially with the London Olympics in mind.

“College has been very supportive, and so has the Irish Institute of Sport, which worked with Trinity to make this happen. It just wasn’t possible to combine all the training with all the lectures. I’m also very lucky to have got a scholarship through the Olympic Council of Ireland, and this year got a Sports Council grant as well [of €12,000]. But there are so many overheads to compete at the highest level, mainly the travel. For years my parents had to foot the bill. But I could always use a sponsor.”

Training for five events also requires an extensive backroom team, and Coyle works with five individual event coaches, all overseen by Lindsey Weedon, the elite manager of the Modern Pentathlon Association of Ireland. She’s also benefited from some sports psychology from Liam Moggan, particularly in coping with the need to maintain consistency over the five events.

“The competition day is incredibly demanding. You could start at seven in the morning, and go until six that evening. Halfway through you’re wondering how you’ll finish. Much of it is about ensuring proper nutrition, and learning to sleep sitting up. The fencing is first up, and all 36 competitors have to fence each other. That does take a while, and if you start losing one or two bouts you can very quickly fall into a hole. That’s where the psychology kicks in. The swim is 200m, and purely time based, and then comes the riding. It’s important to start refuelling at this stage because you need to maintain your energy for the shooting and the running.”

This makes for an exciting climax to the modern pentathlon, and since the Beijing Olympics in 2008, the shooting and running have been combined to make that even more decisive: competitors must now race the three-kilometre cross-country course, while stopping intermittently to shoot at the fixed target, 10m away. Imagine running up the stairs and then trying to thread a needle: “The secret is to hold your breath as you fire.”

So that’s the how, but what about the why? Some people might say there are more important things to be doing in college than studying and training the whole time – but for Coyle the parties can wait, at least until after the London Olympics.

“All my friends are involved in sport, so I don’t feel I’m missing out on anything. I don’t even see any sacrifice. Some people view the modern pentathlon as an elitist sport, but you meet people from all backgrounds. You don’t even need to own a horse. You never get bored with the training either. I don’t think I could just run, or swim or ride every day.

“And the reward really is the satisfaction of competing well. I love when all the training pays off. Some of the events have decent prize money, but I’m not at that stage yet. But it’s not golf. You don’t get into modern pentathlon for the money. Actually, if Rory McIlroy wants to send some of his winnings my way, I’d be very grateful.”

Natalya Coyle’s progress can be followed on Twitter, @Natalyacoyle

A week in the life: Natalya Coyle

MONDAY

Morning: 75-min run, lectures.

Afternoon: One hour of shooting, lectures, two hours of swimming.

TUESDAY

Morning: One hour in gym, one-

hour run, lectures, one hour of shooting.

Afternoon: 2.5 hours of fencing, two hours of swimming.

WEDNESDAY

Morning: One-hour fencing lesson, one hour running and shooting; lectures.

Afternoon: Nap; two-hour swim.

THURSDAY

Morning: Lectures.

Afternoon: Two hours of running and drills; two hours of fencing.

FRIDAY

Morning: Two hours in the gym, lectures.

Afternoon: One hour of shooting, one-hour swim.

SATURDAY

Morning: One hour of shooting and hard running.

Afternoon: One-hour swim.

SUNDAY

Rest! Home to Tara for my mother’s cooking.

Total training hours: 25

Total lecture hours: 20

Sparks

From TheJournal.ie:

One in six in Fermanagh own a legally-held firearm

A FREEDOM OF Information request by the Irish News (print edition) has found that there are almost 140,000 legally-held firearms in Northern Ireland.
County Fermanagh has the highest ration of firearms-per-resident with one in six – 9,214 – having at least one. Dungannon has 8,259 and Ballymena has 7,929.
The total of 139,929 guns are shared out between 61,565 owners. There are 233,120 firearms legally owned in the Republic of Ireland – but the country has two-and-a-half times the population of Northern Ireland.

Sparks

From the Independent:

Lucky escape for driver narrowly missed by stray bullet
By Colm Kelpie
Thursday October 13 2011

A MAN has had a lucky escape after a bullet whistled through the Land Rover he was driving, narrowly missing his head.

Mick Dunbar was just outside Shillelagh in west Wicklow on Monday night when the bullet struck his vehicle on the passenger side and exited on the panel behind the driver's seat.

The 62-year-old retired private investigator said the noise rendered him temporarily deaf for some minutes.

Mr Dunbar -- a hunter and local gun club member -- speculated the shot was a stray, fired by an illegal deer poacher in the surrounding woodland.

"I was driving up along the road and I heard a bang, and then I heard the whistle at the back of my ears, and then I wasn't able to hear. It put two holes in my vehicle, " he told the Irish Independent.

"I put the foot down and pulled in. I didn't realise what happened. It happened that quickly."

A shocked Mr Dunbar immediately alerted the gardai when he saw the bullet holes.

"I'll bet he [the shooter] doesn't even know that he's done it," Mr Dunbar said.

"It came in one side of the panel and out the other far panel at the back of my head, just a little bit beyond the seat belt.

"I'd say if it had been a second faster, I wouldn't be talking now."

Mr Dunbar, who lives in Tinahely and is a member of Shillelagh Gun Club, said he believed the bullet was fired from a high-calibre weapon.

He blamed the incident on poachers illegally hunting for deer after dark.

Deer Alliance, an independent group set up to certify those involved in wild deer hunting, said the recession had led to an increase in illegal poaching.

Spokesman Liam Nolan estimated that a stag carcass could be worth up to €100.

Gardai are examining the area looking for the bullet. It is understood they believe the bullet may have been a stray, and not fired deliberately at the passing jeep. A garda spokesman said the incident was being investigated.

- Colm Kelpie

Sparks

From Broadsheet.ie yesterday:

The Best Government U-Turn You’ll See This Year



You might remember the powerful RISE! lobby group came out to back Fine Gael before the last election because Phil Hogan promised that upon election they would revoke the ban on stag hunting (just affecting the one: Ward Union Stag Hunt). Here they are urging members to go out and support FG before the election
Anyway, you have seen the story in the past couple of days. But Enda Kenny has just said on the Order of Business [in the Dail] that this overturn of the ban will NOT be happening. Delighted!

Guess Johnny Ronan will just have to hunt for Irish models around Krystle instead.