Sir - The report by Anne Lucey (The Irish Times, August 8th) gives rise to serious concerns about the treatment of goats at the Puck Fair. The enforced enclosure in a metal cage, either large or small, for over three days of an animal described in your article by the chief goat-catcher as being "clear wild" is in our opinion unacceptable. Further, the two-hour dawn chase along the cliff edge high above Dingle Bay may be good craic for the hundreds involved but I'm sure it was extremely distressing for the hunted.
The ISPCA has in the past been assured by the organisers that goats used during the Puck Fair are tame goats rather than wild ones. Your article disproves this and will no doubt result in many more complaints to the ISPCA from visitors both at home and abroad. - Yours, etc.,
Ciaran O'Donovan, Chief Executive Officer, ISPCA, Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 6.