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Anti-cruelty group calls for 'appalling' fox hunt blessings to end

The Irish Council Against Blood Sports has said it is unacceptable that some priests “endorse cruelty” by blessing hunts.

THE IRISH COUNCIL Against Blood Sports has called for a ban on priests blessing fox hunts.

Aideen Yourell, the Council’s PRO, said it is “appalling” that any member of the clergy would bless these type of events.

The call comes after a priest in Kilkenny, Fr Nicholas Flavin, was pictured blessing a fox hunt.

The photos were taken last November, but Yourell said that ICABS only became aware of them recently. The Council wrote to Fr Flavin about the images last week.

Yourell said it was “a contradiction in terms” that a priest would bless a hunt, adding that is it was wrong for “pillar of the community … to endorse cruelty”.

“He’s blessing cruelty to animals,” she commented.

Fox hunting is banned in England, Scotland and Wales. It’s cruel, there’s no two ways about it … foxes are caught and torn apart. It’s outrageous and barbaric in this day and age.

‘You can’t pick and choose morality’

Fr Flavin said he would not “enter into a discussion” with the ICABS unless the organisation could prove its members “observe all the moral teachings of the church”.

Do they observe all the moral teachings? Every single one. You can’t pick and choose morality … If they protest about groups that fail to observe all moral teachings of the church, then I’ll enter into a discussion. I’ll not discuss this otherwise.

Yourell said Fr Flavin’s response was “utterly bizarre” and contrary to a 2005 statement by the Irish Bishops Conference which said the body “does not condone the practice of priests blessing foxhunts”.

Read: Animal rights groups condemn ‘brutal attack’ on fox in Laois

Read: Foxhounds killed after being hit by Iarnród Éireann train

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    Mute plato
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    Aug 27th 2012, 1:54 PM

    79% say it unacceptable to give a mobile phone to people under 18 ?? Am I reading that right? Almost every teenager I know has a mobile phone.

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    Mute plato
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    Aug 27th 2012, 1:55 PM

    Oops that was 8 not 18.. Knew I hadn’t read it correctly.. D’oh !!

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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Aug 27th 2012, 2:02 PM

    8? Seriously what does an 8 year old child need a mobile for?

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    Mute Thomas M Bourke
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    Aug 28th 2012, 9:47 AM

    In my daughter’s class (9/10 year olds) last year there were a few who had cellphones

    I remember having change for the callbox at the school…

    needless to say, while she may have a kindle to read books on, she does *not* have a cellphone!

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    Mute fitszenpatrik
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    Aug 27th 2012, 3:34 PM

    Technology certainly divides our household.
    Since we got an electric fence down the middle of our living room the rows have reduced greatly.

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    Mute Niamh
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    Aug 27th 2012, 4:26 PM

    That was really funny!! :-D

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    Mute Thomas M Bourke
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    Aug 28th 2012, 9:48 AM

    ours is made of lego… thing is my daughter designed the fence and now cannot go to the toilet without causing a row as she crosses her own fence!

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    Aug 27th 2012, 1:38 PM

    OMG, totes maze LOL! LMAO!

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    Aug 27th 2012, 5:13 PM

    Lol to fitsen.. :D

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    Aug 28th 2012, 7:14 AM

    So tired of seeing ipad instead of tablet device. Even psychologists aren’t immune from fruit control!

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