Low turnout for anti-coursing protest

THE anticipated mass protest by animal rights activists failed to materialise at the National Coursing meeting yesterday, with about 30 campaigners picketing outside the Clonmel venue during the climax of the annual hare-coursing gala.

While finals day at the annual meeting got under way inside the Powerstown Park racecourse at 11.30am and finished at 3.15pm, the protesters arrived outside about noon and were gone by 2pm.

Despite the low turnout — one group claimed they would have 70 members picketing — and the presence inside the track of more than 11,000 coursing fans, they insisted they got their message across.