An Irishman, who pioneered the world's first piece of animal welfare legislation, is being celebrated 200 years later.
Placed on the statute books by Galway man Richard 'Humanity Dick' Martin, all legal protection of animals stems back to the Ill Treatment of Cattle Act - known as Martin's Law.
Galway has proclaimed July 22nd as 'Martin's Day' with a ceremony outside his former house - now Tigh Neachtains pub.
Galway town cryer Liam Silke with dog Monty, officially proclaiming the 22nd of July as 'Martin's Day'. Picture by: Andrew Downes/xposureHe was also the driving force behind the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and famously called a donkey to give evidence in a court of law.
Martin's biographer, Peter Phillips, told Moncrieff we owe him a lot.
"All animal rights law in the world stem back to Richard 'Humanity Dick' Martin, who paradoxically was the champion duelist in Ireland.
"He was pioneering animal rights at a time that it was unheard of."
Martin lived in Connemara, and also represented Galway in the Irish House of Commons, before moving to Westminster after the Act of Union.
Locals and their dogs celebrate Martin's Day in Galway to honour Richard Martin. Picture by: Andrew Downes'Everybody riggs the Galway election'
Peter says Martin had his own way of doing things.
"He had animal rights law in Connemara - he had some weird baronial powers, because the Martin family owned, effectively, all of Connemara apart from Clifton.
"So he had his own law that he used to protect animals with, and he used to lock people on the old Granuaile Castle, in the lake behind Ballynahinch Castle, if he saw somebody hitting an animal.
"But in his mid-60s he decided to go back into parliament, rig the Galway election by the way - he was thrown out of parliament eventually for rigging the Galway election.
"His defence of which was: Everybody riggs the Galway election, you have to rigg it to win it".
'The Irish Hamilton'
Peter says Martin even took it upon himself to implement his new legislation.
"For two years he careered around the streets of London arresting people for his new law.
"Then he'd pop up in court prosecuting them, to teach the magistrate about the new law.
"He had no sense of danger because he was a duellist".
And a new stage musical about him is also on the way.
"I'm one of the producers of it - the marketing people are very clever - they're calling it the 'Irish Hamilton'.
"If you judge an historic character by legacy, then all animal rights law come back to Richard Martin.
"The SPCA - the worldwide organisation for animal protection - comes back to Richard Martin.
"He didn't fight rebellions, or he didn't write poetry, or he's not Bono: but he was, in my opinion, the greatest Irishman.
"He is a well-kept secret, but Galway should be very proud".
