Pine martins: one of Ireland’s rarest wild mammals being portrayed as a blood-thirsty lamb kille

How is it that there always seems to be some animal in Ireland singled out for demonisation and persecution asks Donal Hickey. 

Several years ago, the fox was hunted almost to extinction for its pelt, with powerful, dazzling lights used by hunters becoming a common sight at night around the country.

A century ago, or more, eagles became extinct here through deliberate killing and poisoning; the national badger cull to prevent the spread of TB from badgers to cattle is continuing, but some experts believe vaccination would be more effective than a cull.