HARE COURSING
Established 1916
The national governing body for hare coursing in Ireland, regulating a tradition of coursing that predates its own formal founding by generations.
Ireland has been associated with the coursing of greyhounds for generations, though the Irish Coursing Club was not formally established until 1916. It solely controlled greyhound racing in Ireland until the creation of the Irish Greyhound Board in 1958, and has kept the all-Ireland Irish Greyhound Stud Book since 1923.
Under ICC rules, pairs of muzzled greyhounds are slipped after a hare that is given a substantial head start, following standards descended from the historic Laws of the Leash. Meets are run at enclosed, licensed courses under club stewards and veterinary supervision.
Independent research has found hare densities on ICC-managed preserves many times higher than in the wider Irish countryside, which the club points to as evidence that coursing preserves function as de facto hare sanctuaries.
This pursuit is practised under Irish law and the rules of its governing body, which sets welfare, conduct and membership standards for every affiliated member. Reports of malpractice are investigated and can result in suspension or expulsion.
For associations
