North Atlantic Skyline - - Photographs from the west of Ireland (Galway, Mayo, Clare, Limerick, Roscommon and even Leitrim)

Glorious 12th

Almost forgot...today is the Glorious 12th, and no, it has nothing to do with walking the Queen's highway. Today is the first day of the grouse hunting season. While I have no truck with those who kill creatures for fun and their Johnny Cash - I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die - attitude to fauna, I have no problem with eating wildlife (and it seems like only good manners to kill them first).

It is damn near impossible to breed grouse in captivity, and though you may not believe it, their natural bogland habitat is fast disappearing. Grouse require very long heather in which to breed, and there isn't as much of it as you'd think. I've encountered them in a few places in Ireland, though never in the West. The trials and tribulations of a short-arse with a twelve-bore are recounted here, but you'd get a much cooler reception with these guys if you strolled in with a brace over your shoulder. Of course, it will be at least a week before the birds should appear in restaurants - they should be left to hang for a while (like Liam Lawlor). But isn't it cruel ? Look, if they had evolved faster, they'd be hunting us. So enjoy your anthropological advantage while you can. And keep an eye on the dolphins.

Posted by Monasette at August 12, 2003 02:47 PM | TrackBack