A young Connemara man will have to wait until June to learn the fate of his confiscated rare eagle.
Following a court order last year, the golden eagle was seized from Leitir Mór man Eoin Griffin - but he's fighting to have the bird returned.
This legal battle has been ongoing for almost three years - after the eagle was seized by the NPWS in July 2022.
Eoin Griffin has been involved with birds from a young age, including birds of prey.
He obtained Lorcan from a falconry in Sligo he did volunteer work with.
At the time the eagle was seized, he only had a valid license for much smaller hawks - though he had applied for a license for Lorcan.
Concerns had also been raised around his experience in handling the Golden Eagle, and about the exhibiting of the bird in public spaces.
But Mr Griffin is adamant he does have the requisite experience and equipment to safely handle the bird.
At an appeal hearing at Galway Circuit Court, it was stated the eagle is safe and well at an undisclosed sanctuary on the east side of the country.
But it was a busy day in the higher court - and despite the states legal team expressing a keen wish to have the matter dealt with, it was adjourned until the 19th of June.
