Thomastown’s Fantastic Mr. Fox!

Patsy Gibbons and his devoted vixen Grainne have become local celebrities in Thomastown in Co Kilkenny after he came to her rescue almost 5 years ago.

Patsy, who runs an unofficial refuge for birds and animals at his cottage, took in Grainne as a cub when she was found abandoned, malnourished and close to death.

The three-week-old cub was discovered in May 2007 trapped in a cardboard box in the grounds of St Columba’s Hospital in the town by Patsy’s brother Eugene. Knowing his brother’s affinity with animals, he immediately brought the tiny fox to him.

“I had always wanted a fox and was delighted when Eugene brought her,” said Patsy who also cares for two dogs, one donkey and flocks of various farmyard fowl.

“She weighed 1lb when I got her and it took a while to bring her around because she must have been in the box for a while.”

It is thought that Grainne became separated from her mother while they were foraging for food in the grounds of the hospital.

In the wild, foxes eat a variety of small mammals and they also feed on worms and grubs as well as fruit in the summer and autumn. In urban areas they often forage through domestic rubbish.

Hunting

“She misses nothing and, going along if something is different or new, she will stop and examine the scene,” explained Patsy.

He also takes her hunting for rabbits. “She is lightening fast and has the rabbit caught in quick time,” he added.

While Grainne has her own den next to the cottage, she stays indoors at night and enjoys watching television or listening to Patsy play his harmonica.

Many thanks for Patsy and Gráinne for visiting our school.

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