A Tipperary farmer has appealed for information in relation to a barbaric attack on his sheep which left one animal dead over the weekend.
Warning: Graphic details below.
The incident occurred on Saturday evening (August 28) near Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.
Speaking to Agriland, PJ Ryan recounted what happened on the day, explaining that he had four sheep out on a nearby graveyard:
“I checked the sheep at 10:30a.m in the morning and they were fine; I was getting ready to go out that evening and my neighbour started ringing and ringing – I actually thought the sheep were broken out on the road. That’s what they thought initially.
“The sheep were in a Church of Ireland cemetery; they were just eating the bit of grass around all the headstones. We located three of the sheep but couldn’t find the other one.
“Then we looked out over the wall, and there was the other lad, just thrown there. He was half alive so we rang the vet; by the time the vet got up he was dead. His head was smashed in with a rock.
“One of the others is very distressed; it seems they grabbed her and tried to do it to her as well but she got away.
“Now unfortunately two of them are on a neighbour’s land and the other is on another neighbour’s land and I can’t get near them – because they are afraid of their lives of me or anybody,” PJ explained.
The farmer noted that there had been people seen in the area earlier in the evening but who were gone by the time the sheep was found, asking anyone with details or who may have seen anything to get in touch.
PJ appealed for anyone who may have dashcam footage from between 5:00p.m and 7:00p.m on Saturday to please get in touch with An Garda Síochána, adding:
“I want to compliment the guards; they were exceptionally good. The guards in Fethard and Clonmel were really on top of it. I would appeal to anyone with dashcam footage or anyone that can help to contact the guards in Fethard or Clonmel.”
Continuing, he said: “It’s a sad, sad day for rural Ireland – it’s beyond comprehension. It’s not the costs or anything like that, it’s the barbaric nature of what they did – it’s shocking.
“There were only four sheep – lovely Texel lambs, January and February lambs – it’s horrendous.”
The farmer brought the sheep for an autopsy which he hopes will help with the case, if they can track down the perpetrator.
Describing the incident as “mindless barbaric violence”, he said:
“We’re a very small farming community here and it’s not something you want to see ever again to be honest.”
Gardaí have confirmed they are conducting enquiries in relation to the incident. Anyone with relevant information can get in touch with Fethard Garda Station on: 052-6131202.