Large protest planned over use of sulkies on national roads following the death of a horse

Sarah Slater

A large protest over the use of sulkies on national roads is planned following the death of a horse in a collision.

A “consistent national framework” governing the use of horse-drawn vehicles following the death of a horse in a collision in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, is being demanded by Fine Gael TD Michael Murphy.

The horse that was pulling a sulky died when it collided with two cars in the Old Bridge area in Clonmel on Wednesday last week. An animal welfare and road safety protest walk has been organised as a result of the incident.

It will take place in Clonmel on Saturday, April 11th at 3pm from Irishtown to the Plaza area of the town.

Deputy Murphy said the incident was entirely avoidable.

He added: ”The recent incident in Clonmel was shocking and deeply distressing. It resulted not only in a serious risk to public safety but also in the tragic death of a horse.

“This was an entirely avoidable situation. It exposed a deeply concerning reality where young individuals were placed in control of powerful animals on public roads, creating a clear danger to themselves, to other road users, and ultimately to the animal itself.”

The animal charity, My Lovely Horse My Lovely Horse group is calling for a ban on the use of sulkies on public roads.

A charity spokesperson said: “A living animal. sentient, sensitive, and easily frightened lost its life in a situation it should never have been in.

“The horse was exposed to fast-moving traffic, noise, and pressure that no animal can reasonably be expected to cope with. When things go wrong in those situations, they go wrong quickly, and the consequences are devastating.”

In a statement, the charity pointed out that the use of sulkies on public roads creates conditions where “control can be lost in an instant, putting horses, drivers, and the public at risk”.

“Despite this, enforcement of existing laws remains inconsistent, and meaningful consequences are rare,” the charity claimed.

The group called for a ban on the use of sulkies on public roads, the establishment and proper resourcing of a dedicated Animal Crime Unit, enforcement of existing animal welfare and road safety laws, prosecutions where breaches occur, and increased funding for animal welfare organisations.