Sir, – Regarding Brian O’Connor’s “Shoot to kill? Nothing sporting about rules of engagement” (Sports Monday, January 31st), I would remind him that shooting and hunting are as much a part of Irish society as any other sport. Hunting and shooting are enjoyed by many people. I am one of those people.
I could take all day to write about the heritage, traditions and history of game-hunting and shooting in Ireland. I could express the good work done by game, gun and conservation clubs locally and nationally in Ireland — all for their membership’s love of the sport. I could also speak of the sheer enjoyment hunting and shooting can bring to those open-minded enough to try it.
However, I can also accept, that, as with other sports, there are those who dislike or do not understand shooting or hunting. I have no problem with this. To each their own.
What I don’t accept is this article was simply the anti-blood sport ramblings of a journalist who probably has no problem ordering and eating a fillet steak and duck confit in a fancy Dublin 4 restaurant . . . but only once someone else does the grisly task of killing the animal!
I have loved shooting since I was six years old when my father first introduced me to the sport. For me, it represents the country life, the outdoors, the walk, the thrill of watching your dog working, the hunt, the shot, the miss or the kill, the retrieval by the dog, the stories, and so on.
Anything I shoot I eat. I believe it was the famous animal rights ethicist Peter Singer who said, “If we are not prepared to kill the animal ourselves . . . we should not eat meat”.
Writing an article that depicts those who love this sport as “wannabes” or “empathy-deficient”is as offensive as it is ignorant. – Yours, etc,