Irish hares look a bit like very tall rabbits with much longer legs and longer ears. Adults can grow to about 60 cm long - bigger than a house cat. Their fur is reddish-brown most of the year and turns paler in winter.
They are built for speed. An Irish hare can sprint at up to 70 km/h - faster than most cars in a town. When startled, it explodes out of the grass and zigzags across a field so fast that predators can hardly keep up.
Hares live above ground, not in burrows like rabbits. They sleep in small grass nests called 'forms'. Baby hares, called leverets, are born with all their fur and with their eyes wide open - ready to run from day one.
Hares are a big part of Irish folklore. Old stories say they are clever, magical creatures. In spring, they put on extraordinary shows - leaping high into the air and 'boxing' on their back legs. People used to think only the males did this; in fact it is usually the females telling the males they need a bit of space.