Lamb carcass dumped at Emlagh bog

The dumping of the carcass of a young lamb at Emlagh bog is the latest in a litany of incidents of dead and mutilated animals being dumped in the area.

The horrifying scene, where the lamb was dumped in a meal bag on the side of the road, was one of a number of recent sinister incidents where animal carcasses have been dumped there.

"A local gentleman made the discovery on Tuesday evening while he was out and about," said Cllr Paul McCabe.

"He came across a bag that was dumped along the grass verge near his home. When he went to investigate the matter further, he discovered a dead lamb, quite a young lamb in a meal bag that was dumped along the side of the road.

"This is I would say, maybe the tenth time in the last couple of years, that animal remains, dead animals have been discovered on the bog. We've had deer, we've had goats, we've had sheep and now we have lambs being dumped up here on the bog.

"I don't know what's going on. I have no explanation as to what's going on. I don't know where these animals are coming from or what the motivation is to come out here and to a really, really picturesque area and and dump dead animals in bags along the side of the road. But it seems to me to be very, very sinister. And it's very, very concerning, it's a serious matter for public health and indeed it is an animal welfare issue at this stage as well."

Cllr McCabe contacted the Litter Warden and Meath County Council had the carcass removed.

"Hopefully, we can get to the bottom of what's going on," he said.

Just last February, the gruesome discovery of a severed deer's head in the middle of the road at Emlagh bog horrified the people of the area.

The grisly discovery was made by a young woman out walking. The remainder of the deer carcass, which was mutilated, was later found in a nearby river.

In a previous incident, a beheaded deer carcass was found on the bog and in another incident a deer carcass with the hooves removed was dumped on the bog.

The grisly discovery of a mutilated pig or pigs on Emlagh bog last July also shocked locals in the area, while just last January, dismembered sheep carcasses were discovered dumped on the bog.

"The whole thing is grotesque and very hard to understand. These incidents seem to be related," said Cllr McCabe.

He urged the public to be vigilant. "If you see anything suspicious in this area, report it to the gardai and the litter warden".