Calling for an end to the so-called 'blood sport'.
Animal activist groups are protesting outside the National Hare Coursing Festival in Clonmel today - calling for an end to the so-called 'blood sport'.
The festival is being criticised for its hypocrisy, as it coincides with St. Brigid's Day, with the saint known for her love of animals.
The hare is currently protected under the Wildlife Act - however, it doesn't prevent the animal from being chased around by dogs for entertainment purposes.
Jennifer Whitmore, the Social Democrats' Environmental Spokesperson, says it doesn't align with modern Irish values: