Countryside Alliance Ireland - love the countryside

Christy Reynolds, The Ward Union Hunt Chairman, has called a Monster HAI Rally to be held in the Trim Castle Hotel, Trim on Monday the 14th December at 8pm.

"The battle begins here. We have been planning our campaign quietly behind the scenes but it goes public from here" said Reynolds. He continued, "If John Gormley thinks he is going to end the Ward Union without this Government facing a massive backlash he is kidding himself."It is reported that the Ward Union were advised not do any public campaigning until the budget was over. The purpose of the Monster Rally is to gather all those who support hunting, fishing and shooting in the Northeast and inform them of the campaign strategy for the first six months of 2010.

Giving the campaign its full backing, HAI Chairman, David Lalor said "I am of the view the Ward Union Hunt will be around longer than the Green Party but we must all take a stand now. This battle is everyone's battle and December 14th in Trim is the battle cry for all who love country pursuits."Ronan Griffin, Secretary of the Ward Union says "This is as much a media event as a political rally and we expect the TV news cameras will be at the rally." He went on, "It is not about speaking to hunting people it is about starting the campaign to win support from the wider public."

All local TDs from both Meath Constituencies and North County Dublin are invited. It will be interesting to see if Minister Noel Dempsey attends as it is reported that, contrary to what he says publicly, it is the view of some in the WUH that he has not been supportive of hunting at the cabinet table. "Politicians of all parties in the constituencies are being invited and my colleague Oliver Russell is looking after those arrangements", says Chairman Reynolds. "I know people are very annoyed and vexed but we will still ask all attendees to respectfully listen to the TDs. We have to find out, particularly from the Government Party TDs, what is their position on the Ward Union?"

The Ward Union nor HAI would not confirm the speaker line up for the rally but says it will be very different from other previous HAI rallies. But the Irish Field has learned that Francis Lally, who has organised and lead the Anti Pylon campaign so successfully in the Royal County, will be one of the speakers and there is speculation that Gavin Duffy, fresh from his Dragons'Den and The Apprentice duties will be one of the other main speakers