The ‘Irish Country Sports – A HERITAGE’ – Paul Pringle reviews some of the excellent reviews the book has attracted.
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n 21 November 2021, Stormont’s Long Gallery was the venue for a landmark event, the launch of ‘Irish Country Sports - A Heritage.’ This magnificently produced, heavyweight book, with heirloom quality binding and a multitude of fine photographs, has already found its way into the homes and libraries of country sports enthusiasts all over the world. Experts write on a wide range of country sports topics, each one being eminently qualified to write on their specific subject. Feedback from purchasers has been extremely positive, and we are delighted with some really excellent reviews in the media, just some of which are printed below. Interestingly, many readers have clearly stated that it should be in every Irish country sports enthusiasts home, so future generations can appreciate the rich history of our sports and what could be lost if the present and next generations do not defend them. Will there be another volume written in another generation? Will we still have
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each and every country pastime as we have now? In a world that is seemingly intent on blending us all into some sort of woke population based on what they see as an urban ideal perhaps the question is will there be any sort of country sport left at all? I think the answer lies squarely with us all. Everyone who participates in hunting, shooting, fishing, working dog trials and tests should be defending ALL our sports. It must not be a case of ‘well I don’t hunt/shoot/ or fish so that legislation or whatever doesn’t concern me.’ We all must stand together and in this I include the shops and traders whose business manufactures or sells the relevant clothes, clays, tackle, guns, decoys, cartridges etc. etc. Many of us attend the Game Fairs and here too it is vital to have thousands there to show support for this flagship for all things country sport related. We are all in this together - or should be. Numbers and votes are the only way to show our politicians who we want and what we want to continue - not be whittled away, bit by bit.
Spring 2022 Irish Country Sports and Country Life
The launch at Stormont brought together several ’elder statesmen’ of Irish Country Sports and it stimulated Victor McDevitt, well known in the shooting and gundog worlds throughout the country sports world to write a letter to the magazine: “I was privileged to be invited to attend the launch of the book "Irish Country Sports - A Heritage" at Stormont in mid November. A quality production covering all our wild sports, everyone should own. “I met up with many prominent country sports people I hadn't seen for a number of years. There were folk from all regions of Ireland and all walks of life all representing the various sporting associations and country life activities. All were united in their individual concern for the traditional wellbeing of the countryside and its diverse lifestyles, indeed for the welfare of its inhabitants both human and animals, (petted and wild), fish and fowl. We were also there to support Albert Titterington's latest publication. “A common interest being expressed
