Madam, – I found the contrasting letters on the subject of blood sports very interesting (December 31st). As a lifetime yellowbelly I found myself, unusually, on the same side as the Kilkenny man John Fitzgerald. As for Philip Donnelly, he trotted out the same arguments as those of his ilk did when the debate was on in England. I was resident there and a member of the Labour party at the time and there was massive support for the ban across all classes.
The claim by Mr Donnelly that it cost the party 47 seats at the following election is rubbish. What cost us the seats was the invasion of Iraq. It beggars belief that alleged adults in the 21st century can’t find a more decent way to amuse themselves. – Yours, etc,