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Irish Big Cat News

Oldest Irish clipping on file so far is June 1968.
 (A free years membership to anyone who can produce 12 news clippings from Ireland that are not shown below).

2008

 Big Cat Fears Stalk Donegal Countryside BBC News: 18th March 2008
Hunt on for Big Cat Blamed for Attacking Sheep Derry Journal: 18th March 2008
Is This Big Cat Killing Sheep? Belfast Telegraph: 15th March 2008
Big Cat Fear in Sheep Attack The Mirror: 14th March 2008
Large Black Cat Seen Near Letterkenny Independent.ie: 14th March 2008
Wildlife Alert After 'Large Cat' Sightings. The Irish News: 11th February 2008
If You Go Down to the Woods Today... The Irish Examiner: 11th February 2008
Fresh Sightings of 'Big Cat' in Tipperary. Irish Times: 11th February 2008
Mysterious Black Panther Making the Headlines Again Irish Times: 11th February 2008
Hunt for Black Panther After Sighting in the Woods Irish Examiner: 5th February 2008
Panther Sighted in Comeragh Mountains? Munster Express: 1st February 2008
Just a Big Pussy Cat Irish Independent: 19th January 2008

2007

 Big Cat Not to Blame: Police Ballymoney Times: 7th December 2007
Big Black Cat Back The Ballymoney Times: 23rd November 2007
Dangerous Animal Laws to Change BBC News: 8th November 2007
Return of the Black Panther The Donegal Democrat: 6th September 2007
Gardai On Alert After 'Sighting' of Large Wild Cat The Independant: 12th June 2007
Reported sighting of Donegal wildcat in Dunkineely Ocean FM: 11th June 2007
Mystery surrounds "wildcat" sightings in Newtown Cunningham Highland Radio: 11th June 2007
Another Big Cat Sighting The Irish Immigrant: June 2007
Wild Cat Holds Family and their two Traumatised Pets 'Hostage' The Independent: 29th May 2007
Get-out Claws for Beast of Ballygowans Tyrone Herald: 26th March 2007
Northern Ireland - not as you know it Belfast Telegraph: 21st March 2007
Mystery cat in Aughnacloy Tyrone Today: 2nd February 2007
A Panther Loose in Armagh Newry Democrat: 31st January 2007
Panther on the Prowl in South Armagh Belfast Today: 31st January 2007
Big Cats Roam NI Countryside Belfast Today: 30th January 2007

2006

 Survey Reveals Over 150 "Big Cats" (+ 2000 ostriches, 500 monkeys and 250 poisonous snakes) in private hands. BCIB Press release
Omagh's Dr Doolittle Welcomes New Wild Animal LawUlster Herald: 6th December 2006
Now You Need a Licence for a Lion Belfast Telegraph: 4th December 2006
Ulster is Tamed With New Big Cat Laws Belfast Telegraph: 20th October 2006
Something Wild in the Countryside BBC News website: 12th October 2006
Don't Blame Tigers For Attack on Ulster Girl - Coleraine man who was also mauled defends big cats Belfast Telegraph: 18th July 2006
British Investigators invited to Eire BCIB Press Release: 6th April 2006
Caution Urged As Panther Sighted. The Leitrim Observer: 16th March 2006
On The Prowl .... Panther Spotted The Irish Independent: 16th March 2006
Big Cat Back on Prowl Ballymoney Times: 2nd March 2006
'You need a £5 licence to keep a poodle. But yet you can keep a tiger and be answerable to no-one. It's crazy.' Belfast Telegraph: 25th February 2006

2005

 Big Cats in Belfast, Ballybogey and Beyond. Fortean Times Issue 200 – 2005

2004

 Irish Big Cats. The Anglo Celt: 30th December 2004.
Wild Mink on the Loose near Moyne (or big cat) Leitrim Observer: 29th July 2004
Army Marksmen Hunt For Suspected Monaghan Puma Belfast Telegraph: 26th July 2004
Stay In Touch With Your Felines. Irish Examiner: 12th July 2004.
"Is There A Puma In Them That Caven Hills" By Sean McMahon . Anglo Celt: 8th July 2004
Puss & Shoot. The Mirror: 7th July 2004.
'There's Something Up There - Whatever The Hell They Are' By Pat Sammon . The Star: 7th July 2004.
New Mystery Beast Savages Sheep And Big Cat Is Back On The Prowl. By Pat Sammon . The Star: 7th July 2004.
Search For Big Cat Near Cavan Town. RTF News: 6th July 2004
Dealers Dump Cats To Avoid Police Swoop - Experts Fear Influx. The Star: 4th July 2004
5000 Euro Reward - Help Us Catch The Cat. Star Sunday: 4th July 2004.
The Man Who Still Believes This is the Border Beast Irish Independent: 3rd July 2004
Win 5000 Euro With The Great Puma Hunt. The Star: 3rd July 2004.
Tabby Search To Cost 8,000 Euros, By John Breslin . Northern Standard: 1st July 2004.
Gardai Suspend Search Monaghan Wildcat. Northern Standard: 1st July 2004.
Moggies Wary As Safari Fever Takes Hold In Monaghan. Irish Times: 1st July 2004.
Hold Your Fur, Marksmen Told Puma Is Really A Pet Moggie. The Irish Sun: 30th June 2004.
I tawt I taw a puddy tat ... I Did, I Did. The Irish Examiner: 30th June 2004
Here Pussy .....we challenge big black cat to come out and face us... By Nial Moonan. Irish Mirror: 30th June 2004.
Big Cat Warning In Monaghan. UTV News, Belfast: 29th June 2004.
Big Cat Search Called Off. BBC News: 29th June 2004.
Army Sniper on Stand-by as Wildcat Spotted Close to a Housing Estate. The Irish Independent: 29th June 2004.
Gardai Take To The Air In Hunt For Big Cat. BBC News: 28th June 2004.
Army Marksmen Hunt For Suspected Monaghan Puma, By Conor Lally. UTV News, Belfast Telegraph: 26th June 2004.
Fears Of Wildcat In Clones - Newbliss Area. Northern Standard: 24th June 2004.
Farmer's Shock As Calf Is Mauled By 'Big Cat', By Patrick Tierney. Belfast Telegraph: 22nd June 2004.
Two Sightings Of Big Cat Emigrant on line: 31st May 2004

2003

 'Ireland To Crack Down On The Keeping Of Exotic Pets. Sky News: December 2003.
'Big Cat' Alert After Sheep Found Dead, By Kim Kelly. Belfast Telegraph: 3rd December 2003.
Lion Tamer Convinced Picture Shows Ulster's Black Panther. Belfast Telegraph: 1st October 2003
New Wild Cat Alert / Bigger than a collie and moved like hunter, By Ashleigh Wallace. Belfast Telegraph: 30th September 2003.
Beast Captured On Camera Roaming Ulster Countryside.By Ashleigh Wallace. Belfast Telegraph: 30th September 2003
Gun Toting Killers Hunting Big Cats. Belfast Telegraph: 29th September 2003.
Farmers Still Fearful Over Big Cat Threat http://www.newsletter.co.uk/site_search/story/227: 26th September 2003
Big Cat Hunt Shows The Law Is An Ass http://www.newsletter.co.uk/story/1232: 26th September 2003
The Story of "Operation Big Cat" is Unlikely to Have a Happy Ending. BBC News: 25th September 2003
Wild Beasts 'Were Freed Deliberately' / Operation Big Cat Fails To Uncover Puma And Panther, By Kim Kelly. Belfast Telegraph: 25th September 2003.
Two 'Wildcats' Roaming The North Antrim Coastline. BBC News: 25th September 2003.
NI Authorities Recover 16 Wild Cats. Press Association: 25th September 2003.
The Beast Does The Double http://www.newsletter.co.uk/site_search/story/227: 25th September 2003
Big Cat Concerns Continue BBC News: 24th September 2006
PSNI And USPCA Join Forces In Day-Long 'Big Cat' Hunt. Publication unknown: 24th September 2003.
Panther And Puma At Large. BBC News: 24th September 2003.
Trackers Close In On Beast Of Ballybogey. Annova: 24th September 2003.
Hunt For Big Cat Takes To The Air, By Kim Kelly. Belfast Telegraph: 24th September 2003.
Trackers Close in on Antrim Big Cat Yorkshire Today: 24th September 2003
North Antrim 'Big Cat' Spotted Again. The Ballymoney Times: 23rd September 2003.
All-Day Search Aiming To Finally Trap Killer Cat, By Kim Kelly. Belfast Telegraph: 22nd September 2003.
Big Cat Search Abandoned. BBC News: 4th September 2003.
Wolf In Big Cats Clothing. Belfast Telegraph: 2nd September 2003.
Big Cat Alert Continues As Pupils Return To School, By Kim Kelly. Belfast Telegraph: 1st September 2003.
Fear Is Gripping Community, By Gary Grattan. Belfast Telegraph: 30th August 2003.
Will Killer Cat Turn On Humans? By Kim Kelly. Belfast Telegraph: 30th August 2003.
Parents Fear Big Cat Might Attack Kids Near School, By Kim Kelly. Belfast Telegraph: 29th August 2003.
Don't Turn Your Back On Big Cats. Belfast Telegraph: 29th August 2003.
Off-Duty Officers Stare Big Cat In Eye, By Kim Hewitt. iciNorthernireland.com: 29th August, 2003.
Claws For Concern! By Claire Smith. Ballymoney Times: 29th August 2003.
Panther Alert! By L.A. Henry. Ballymoney Times: 29th August 2003. (with picture).
Shoot To Kill! By Claire Smith. Ballymoney Times: 29th August 2003. (with picture).
Wild Cat: Fourth Carcass Is Found. Belfast Telegraph: 28th August 2003.
'Big cat' strikes Again In North Antrim. Publication unkown: 28th August 2003.
Wild Cat On Loose 'Is Puma'. BBC News: 28th August 2003.
People Keep Saying The Cat Won't Attack Humans - however you just dont know! Ballymoney Times: 28th August 2003.
New Fears There May Be A Puma AND... A Panther, By Kim Kelly. Belfast Telegraph: 27th August 2003.
Wild Cat: Puma Gives Police Slip Again. Irish Independant: 23rd August 2003.
Shepherd Fears for Safety of Children http://www.newsletter.co.uk/site_search/story/1243: 22nd August 2003
Wild Cat: 'Puma-Type Animals' Wild In The North By Gerry Moriarty. Irish Times: 22nd August 2003.
Remains Found In Big Cat Search. BBC News: 23rd August 2003.
Police Stalk Big Cat. Sky News: 22nd August 2003.
Panther' Escapes Police Marksmen. BBC News: 22nd August, 2003.
Furious farmers vow to kill puma on sight. / Call for sniper to track big cat, By Kim Kelly. Belfast Telegraph: 22nd August, 2003.
Big Cat Thought To Be Celtic Tiger. Publication unknown: 22nd August, 2003.
Big Cat 'Spotted By Police'. BBC News: 22nd August, 2003.
Fears Of Further Big Cat Attacks. BBC News: 21st August, 2003.
Release Of Wild Cats 'Deliberate'. BBC News: 19th August, 2003.
Big Cat May Have Gone To Ground, By Brian Campbell. Irish News: 13th August, 2003.
Black Puma Spotted Near Resorts, By Ted Oliver. Irish Times: 12th August, 2003.
Big Cat Thought To Be Puma. BBC News: 12th August, 2003.
Big Cat Spotted In Carrick Area, By Kim Kelly. Belfast Telegraph: 11th August, 2003.
'Wild Cat' Remains at Large Antrim News: 11th August 2003
Continuing The Search. Belfast Telegraph: 10th August 2003.
Search For Puma Continues. BBC News: 9th August, 2003.
Police Track Roaming Puma. Irish News: 9th August, 2003.

2002

 Another Sighting of a Panther Laios Nationalist: 29th October 2002
Welfare Squad Quiz Animal Trader News of the World- April 2002
Irish Wildcats? Dead of Night by Lee Walker & The Guardian – April 2002
Search on for Creature With Fangs and Claws The Guardian: 2nd March 2002
USPCA Calls for Law Change Irish News - 4th January 2002

2001

 Farmers on Alert After Big Cat goes on the ProwlIrish Examiner: 22nd May 2001
Fears Of Beast On Border. Mirror: 21st May, 2001.
Border Beast's A Puma. Belfast Telegraph: 20th May 2001.

1999

 Beast Search Prowling On. Belfast Newsletter: 29th September, 1999.
Hunting The Big Cat, By Ross McKee. Belfast Newsletter: 28th September, 1999.
RUC Warns Of Big Cat. Century Newspapers LTD: 27th September, 1999.
Belfasts Big Cat May Be A Shaggy Dog, By Martin Breen. Belfast Telegraph: 27th September, 1999.

1998

 Escaped Tiger Shot After Attacking Keeper. Belfast Telegraph: 8th February 1998.

1997

 Anglers Spot Panther At Callow Lake. Roscommon Herald: Late 1997.
Power Pets, The New Love Of Ireland, By Mark Rowe. The Independant on Sunday: 29th June, 1997.

1996

 Lynx Shot. Press and Journal: 19th February 1996.
Lynx Shot Dead By Police. ITV Teletext: 18th, February, 1996.
Fortean Times ABC Round-up. Fortean Times: 18th, February, 1996.
A Jaguar In The Garage, But No Licence, By Tony Harnden. Publication & date unknown: 1996.
Lynx Shot At Fintona. Fortean Times Round-Up. Daily Telegraph: 16th February 1996. / Aberdeen Press & Journal 19th February 1996. / Animals & Men Issue 9: February, 1996.

1995

 Residents Told To Beware After 'Irish' Beast Sighted. The Columbus Despatch: 21st July, 1995.

1994

 Indian Tigress Loose. Daily Mail: 13th January 1994.

1968

 The "Dinosaur" of Achill Island. The Evening Herald: 4th June 1968.