It’s long past time for new thinking on King Puck

EDITOR – Who gives a Puck!  Well, animal rights activists do. 

Using a wild goat like a captive caprine gee-gaw as part of a festival is throwback to a time where knuckles were worn shiny from rocking on them.

An insult-laced comment from the pro-live goat lobby said pressure from those who care about animals forced a change to Puck Fair 23 in respect of the display time of the goat.

At Puck Fair 22 goat welfare was at risk. 

Highlighting this was undertaken by those who care about animals and not festival takings.

It is lesson to those who set out to use animals for promotion or recreation. 

Animal rights activists do not bend the knee to anybody, organisation or belief.

In Ireland animal abuse is taking place, both in public and private, during every one of the 1,440 minutes of the day.

Our role is to call out animal abuse, create the climate of change and get the abuse to the RIP stage. The philosophy of animal rights demands the abolition of animal abuse in all its forms and shapes.

It is not the details of unjust exploitation that must be changed.

It is the unjust exploitation itself that must be ended, whether on the farm, in the laboratory, or among the wild.

The philosophy of animal rights asks for nothing more, but neither will it be satisfied with anything less.

The only threat to Puck Fair is from those who believe that a live goat must remain part of this rural bacchanal.

Time for the festival organisers to give their heads a wobble which will help them realise that a goat effigy is the future and that a live goat is four feet planted in the past.

John Tierney,

Chairperson-Waterford Animal Concern,  

Church Road, Waterford.

Your help is changing lives around the world

EDITOR – This year marks 40 years since ActionAid Ireland was founded. Over this time, we have made a significant impact on the lives of women and children around the world, working together to create a more just world. 

This work would not have been possible without the support of the people in Cork, and throughout Ireland.   

 A high proportion of our support from Ireland comes from people in Cork. This support funds our community led work in Africa and Asia, as well as campaigns for fairer policies.   

 We have seen amazing progress over the last 40 years. Individual women and children are living safer and happier lives. 

While policy and legal changes, such as making child marriage and female genital mutilation illegal, now benefit millions of women and girls.   

 However, we cannot take previous progress for granted. The cost of living, conflict and climate crises are destroying the lives of the people we work with. The people who did the least to cause climate change are paying the price deeply. 

Even though Ireland is also affected by global crises and we have our own challenges to contend with, we have seen increasing generosity from people in Cork.   

 As part of our 40th anniversary activities, our mobile fundraising teams are encouraging more people to join us in transforming the lives of women and children across the world. If your readers have a conversation with them, they can share details of how to get involved. Thank you again to your readers, who are continuing to change lives for the better around the world.  

Karol Balfe,  

Ceo,   

ActionAid Ireland,   

Parnell Square,   

Dublin. 

Wait for ambulance shows system failures

EDITOR – This is a plea to all those lottery winners, dot com millionaires, anyone, please! 

This problem has been attested to on several occasions and this one was personal.

A visiting friend had a stroke, thank goodness it was at my house. An ambulance was called for immediately by the doctor at the clinic.   

While we dithered about driving to the hospital, we were advised that he would be seen sooner if we waited. So we waited, and waited, and waited. Two hours later an ambulance arrived – from Cork! 

Please, please someone buy us some ambulances. And get some people trained to manage them. 

I have said this in private but I am ready to be public with it.  The way that the ministers in this country do their jobs is like a sophisticated third world country. This is a disgrace.

Lorelie Rabbitt-Tomko,

Skibbereen.

Maybe wet summers are not so bad after all

EDITOR – Although Cork is not doing too badly overall, this summer has been a pretty wet affair weather-wise, so far.

But, looking across the waters to mainland Europe and the scorching temperatures and forest fires, maybe it’s time we came to realise just how lucky we are. And let’s not forget the poor wildlife. The photos of animals lying dead along roadsides were particularly horrific. Maybe wet Irish summers aren’t so bad after all.

Mary J O’Connell,

Carrigaline.