Irish Examiner view: Farmers should not live in fear

Horrifying dog attacks in Tipperary have focused minds

Some of the sheep killed on the O'Donoghue farm in Lorrha, Co Tipperary. Pictured are neighbours Martin Young and Daniel Bugler and the land owner Michael Rushe. Picture: Rose Mannion

The horrifying dog attacks in Tipperary late last month have certainly focused minds, and little wonder. The terrible scenes encountered by Lorrha farmer Donal O’Donoghue, when he found over 80 of his sheep killed by dogs, were more akin to a horror film than a pastoral scene in Tipperary.

Before considering the wider implications of this attack, it is worth bearing in mind the toll that such an event takes for anyone dealing with such a scenario.