Plan for Shelbourne Park housing

Dear Editor.

I was heartened to learn recently that Shelbourne Park may be developed for housing, possibly putting an end to greyhound racing in the capital.

I hope it does indeed have that effect, for the sake of the thousands of unfortunate greyhounds that are culled every year, or dumped (dead or alive), or exported to dodgy jurisdictions because they don’t run fast enough or have outlived their value to the an industry that thrives on gambling and indulges in massive over-breeding to produce winners.

I’ll celebrate on the day building starts on those houses. Greyhounds can’t speak, but if they knew about the proposed housing development at Shelbourne Park they’d certainly be wagging their tails or doing little victory laps at the news that a vile dog-killing industry had just been torpedoed.

Coincidentally, I see that in response to a Dail question from Deputy Paul Murphy the Housing Minister (who also issues coursing licenses), revealed that more than 59,000 thousand hares were captured with nets in Ireland since 2009. Not for scientific purposes or as part of any pest-control drive, but so that so-called sportspeople could set dogs on them.

How nice it would be for our persecuted Irish Hare if developers would direct their attention to fields on which coursing events are organised. These are quite spacious and would be ideal for housing. With so many people crying out for homes in the midst of a national housing crisis, I suggest that all the coursing fields be given up for this purpose.

Then, instead of serving as venues where hares are terrorised, mauled, or have their bones crushed; for human amusement, the land would be helping decent humans find accommodation and maybe their dream homes: A win-win for everyone, except those who make life for dogs and hares alike, a veritable hell on earth.

Thanking you, John Fitzgerald,

Callan, Co. Kilkenny.