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2022-10-25/407
All Ireland Donkey Protection Society,
HON. SECRETARY :
MRS. SHEWELL.
May 9th 1931 79
BRANCH HON. SECRETARY :
Powers Hotel
Kildare Street
Dublin.
The Superior
Benedictine Monastery
Glenstal Castle
Co Limerick
Very Reverend Sir,
My Committee notices that you are about to permit a Fete for the industry your are kindly assisting at Glenstal Castle in June, and have asked me to write and beg or you to very kindly refuse the holding of any donkey races or sports to be held at it.
Very often persons willing to help at a Fete, think that a donkey race would be an attraction, but this Committee regards them as cruel, and bound to encourage cruelty to these unfortunate animals, which already have too much ill-treatment in this country to bear.
We hope therefore that you will accede to their request, and should such events be proposed, inform the promoters that you would not care for such to be held.
A large number of people in this country now strongly object to these events, and refuse to go to Fetes where they are held.
With many thanks in anticipation,
I am, Revd Sir, Yours faithfully
Mrs
Hon. Sec. A.I.D.P.S.

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Donkey Races and Sports.
A most important matter which should claim public attention and be universally condemned is cruelty to animals. God made us masters of the animals, but He did not intend that we should be their tyrants and oppressors. He gave them their gentleness and their docility in order that they should serve us, and we, in return, should not inflict suffering on His poor dumb creatures. Of all animals, the ass comes in for most abuse; people look upon him as an ignorant, useless creature, worthy of nothing but the vilest treatment. Considering his food, his care, and his treatment, what wonder is it that he should be ignorant; but it is we ourselves, and not the poor animal, that are to blame, because if he received the care and attention which he deserves, he would prove a marvellously intelligent and efficient worker. We hope, however, that in the near future—through the exertions of the All-Ireland Donkey Protection Society—this much abused and most patient of animals will be estimated at his true worth, that he will get proper and regular food, and instead of “Get on out o’ that,” and rougher language, he will be greeted with words of sympathy and encouragement. We must not forget that it was a donkey which bore Our Lord into Jerusalem, and if we were to think of the cross on the donkey’s back, we would have more consideration for that distinguishing mark than to make it the target for repeated blows. Now that so much is being done to alleviate the sufferings of this poor creature, we trust that sports committees and others having charge of such amusements will see that there is no donkey race on the programme. The animal is unfit for racing, and consequently it is obnoxious to him, and when he does not understand what is required of him, and is, therefore, unwilling, great cruelty is inflicted on him. Some people seem to think that he has no feeling; just try to imagine what unnecessary pain is caused to the poor little animal by the rider prodding him with a pin, or nail, beating him savagely, or being too heavy. We
Kindly help to stop this cruelty.
Hon. Secretary:
MRS. SHEWELL, C.S.P.C.A. and A.I.D.P.S., Power’s Hotel,
Kildare Street, Dublin.

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Donkey Races & Sports
The Gaelic Athletic Association
and The National Athletic and Cycling
Association of Ireland have decided
NOT TO ALLOW DONKEY RACES at
Sports held under the auspices of the
Associations in future.
KINDLY DO NOT HOLD THEM
AT ANY SPORTS.
All Ireland Donkey Protection Society.