I give many walking tours in Galway City, discussing the 14 tribes of Galway, the Claddagh Ring, Humanity Dick Martin, and much more. However, visitors are often most curious about the sculpture depicted in this photo. “The Inquisitive Hare” is a charming artwork by sculptor Donnacha Cahill. When visitors ask, “What’s with the rabbit?” I have to correct them: “It’s a hare,” one of our most ancient native animals. A true free spirit, the hare doesn’t live in a warren like a rabbit. Instead, it prefers a ‘form,’ a makeshift shelter along a path.

Hares travel great distances and revel in running against the wind on dry, blustery nights. Our ancestors held hares in high regard. The Celts believed in metempsychosis, the belief that upon death, a person’s soul instantly transposes to an animal. This concept appears in the ancient epic “The Táin” and the tale of the two pig-keepers who, through time, transformed into the two prized bulls over which a war was fought When Boudicca had enough of Roman rule and rose up to sack their towns and cities, she took counsel from her pet, Hare, who always sat by her side until the tragic end. Hares are fascinating creatures with lots of character. In spring, they can be seen in clearings, arranged in a circle facing each other, having contests of strength to determine the head buck. Hence, the saying “as mad as a March Hare.” Long ago, the people of the Claddagh fishing village in Galway, located outside the walled city, believed in many piseogs or superstitions. One such belief was that it was a bad omen to see a hare before the fishing fleet was due to sail, enough to call off the expedition.

I hope you now have a new appreciation for our native Irish Hare on National Biodiversity Week, which could be a long-lost relative, inquiring as to how you’re doing.

To book, go to www.wildaboutireland.ie Wild About Ireland Tours