Sir, – I was sad to hear of the death of former Louth Fine Gael TD Brendan McGahon.
He had strong views on many subjects, and was never afraid to express those views, regardless of the personal or political consequences for himself.
As a campaigner against blood sports, I admired the principled stance he adopted in June 1993 when Tony Gregory TD moved a Bill to ban hare coursing.
Fine Gael imposed a whip on its TDs, obliging them to oppose the Bill, but Mr McGahon stood firm on his abhorrence of hare coursing, which he had spoken out against on many occasions. He defied the party whip and backed Tony Gregory’s attempt to protect the gentle Irish hare.
:fill(white):background_color(white)/static.themebuilder.aws.arc.pub/irishtimes/1647534191476.png)
I didn’t agree with all of Mr McGahon’s views on other issues, but it took real courage to take a stand and act in accordance with his conscience when his party cracked the whip to defeat a piece of humane and progressive legislation.
His ethical approach was in stark contrast to the sheep-like behaviour of TDs who, last year, trooped through the lobbies in Dáil Éireann to oppose another anti-coursing Bill.
We need more men and women of principle like the late Brendan McGahon. – Yours, etc,
JOHN FITZGERALD,
Callan,
Co Kilkenny