About John Hanrahan

Christy Moore wrote a song about John Hanrahan, an Irish farmer who took the Merck drug company to court when their new factory spewed out poisons that killed his cattle. It was a hard slog against the big boys, and apparently it was financially crippling.

Within the past few days, the Agriculture Department confiscated his cattle. The Hanrahan family has been farming in the area for centuries, but it's coming to an end. Fighting to get the money owed him, he seems to have gone broke, unable to buy enough feed for his cattle.

Being a whistleblower, an ant taking on an elephant, takes great courage. It also takes a small fortune. John Hanrahan has lost his animals. We have gained from his victory over the drug company.