What the hell? Stena Line? Irish Ferries? Never shall I darken your doors again! Horrible to allow live export of animals!
Last year 158,000 calves were exported from Ireland. The new Irish Ferries boat WB Yeats will start sailing in March and will sail on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday every second week with the capacity to carry 4,000 calves in each sailing. Combined with the Stena Line shipments going out every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday there could be up to 80,000 calves being exported every month. This is a phenomenal figure. We don't know how many calves are dying during these journeys because shockingly the Dept doesn't keep a record, but out of the handful of journey logs we have seen there have been several deaths. It's not surprising when they are made to go without feed or water for at least 24 hours. (Compassion in World Farming Ireland)
So first things first, when you see the frost on the ground, is to get outside and feed the birds. There are bags and buckets of bird-seed at the farm shop on the Woodies’ slip road and or redmills near the Lyrath. I can’t bring myself to promote Killeen Hill as there’s a mart there and endless animals ferried in and out for people to profit from their untimely demise.
The second thing I hope everyone’s doing daily is their ‘loving kindness’ practice? First send some thought, consideration and well-wishes to a person or part of nature that is of concern to you at the moment – for me this was the animals in laboratories; day in day out being burnt, forced to inhale and injected with various substances to legitimize pharmaceutical companies putting them up for sale. I asked to ease their suffering, despair and loneliness and pray for a miracle to offer them sanctuary. Then focus on some people you love. For me that was my parents today. Thirdly send some kindness and understanding to somebody that you’re usually pretty indifferent towards. For me this was the people in the benefits office. Thankfully I don’t have to deal with them anymore but I still had them down as robotic and dehumanizing, rather than individuals dealing with their own lives. Then send the loving kindness to someone you positively dislike. Simon Coveney and Quealy’s Meat companies are my two today.
This process breaks you free from unforgiveness, protecting your heart and helps you move forward in life. I think it comes from the buddhist tradition.