SINCE last season, the famed and historic Muskerry hunt have been through some major changes, but I’m happy to say, the changes have all been good ones. They have effectively amalgamated with their neighbouring United Foxhounds, bringing Cork’s two most iconic packs together. This gives the new entity a vast country, running from Macroom in the west to Youghal in east Cork, which Google informs me is a distance of 90km, surely making it one of the biggest hunt countries to be found in these islands!

With the amalgamation came the state-of-the-art United kennels in Clonmult, where we recently attended a kennels meet. While Clonmult was the scene of a major battle during the War of Independence, the amalgamation was more than friendly, with both hunts choosing to pool their resources.

However, the rain gods were very much in attendance and it poured all day, resulting in a return visit to their meet at Sully’s pub in Donoughmore last Saturday. At Clonmult, many of the United stalwarts had turned up, such as Ned Moran, who is listed in the 1969 edition of Baileys, as first whip to the United and was still in office up to the amalgamation. Also out on foot were Mary Daunt and Adrienne Williams, long-time United members.

The best of hound bloodlines were retained, resulting in a top of the range pack of Old English, up there with the best to be found anywhere. Likewise, the human resources also came together with Dom Daly, who has been chairman of the United since 1962, not missing a day under the new regime. Likewise, longstanding on the Muskerry side, Robert Harkin MFH first appeared in the 1996 edition of Bailey’s Hunt Directory as hunt secretary, before assuming the mastership on the Millenium and he and Dom Daly were the mid-wives that saw the birth of the new hunt.

Strong team

Robert is joined by a strong team of three joint-masters, huntsman Ken Grandon, John Crean and Killian Lynch, who have joined the mastership in the meantime.

Ken brings all the intensity and enthusiasm of a top-class professional to the task he obviously loves. To see him with his hounds, you know he is with his family and the bond is tangible. His daughter, Faye, was sadly missing, as she was skiing. Killian Lynch from Macroom is also amateur whipper-in and was out with his wife, Chantal, an eminent pharmacologist working on some disease I hope I’ll never have. A real stylist in the saddle, she comes from a show jumping background and has just returned to the hunting field after several seasons of mother duties with their young family. Sadly, the fourth musketeer, John Crean, was missing, as he is recovering from some leg surgery.

Almost the first person we met, and looking very dashing, was equestrian artist Liam Clancy (complete with signature pipe), who was hunting, but also made the trip to present a special group portrait of the Muskerry from their meet at Windsor, the home of John Crean.

With Sully’s en-fete, food and refreshments were aplenty, but good cheer (the Muskerry are a happy hunt) even more so. It was nice to catch up with such stalwarts as Eamonn Grainger and Hunt Chairman Brendan Browne, out with his family, young Jack (14) and the first season Faye, all of 11. Brendan came from the area and was also meet manager and had done his task well, as there was oceans of land available, with a warm welcome for hunting on the day. The academic world was represented by ex-UCC man, Aidan O’Donovan, who rarely misses a day with the Muskerry.

Donal O’Riordan (Secretary) and Chantal Lynch making it safely through the river out with the Muskerry Foxhounds \ Catherine Power

Chafing at the bit

However, not one for ‘coffee housing’, our huntsman was chafing at the bit, waiting for the saddling bell. Ken Grandon is one of the few masters, who also hunts hounds and brings an air of professionalism and dedication, found in only the leading professionals. Soon enough, it was all go and, after a short photocall outside Sully’s, he hacked on with his 10 and a half couple of hounds to their first draw at Barrat’s farm, just a stone’s throw from the village.

He really looked the part on his nice grey that had been produced for him by Evan and Storm O’Connor in Duhallow country. Hounds were looking a picture, having been turned out by the hunt’s new kennel men, brothers Ben and Donnacha O’Donovan.

Drawing on through Bernard Casey’s, still with no music, however there were better things ahead, as hounds drew along the Shournagh Line towards Firmount, where leading point-to-point handler, Debbie Hartnett, had a few pointers grazing contentedly.

Along one of the deep glens with which Muskerry abounds, hounds showed interest, but it was the second season Solar (by Muskerry Lucas out of Brockelsby Solo), who had a fine dog fox afoot and he was holloed away by joint-master, Killian Lynch, first whip for the day, as regular whip, young Daniel O’Riordan, was also enjoying the alpine air. However, his Dad Donie, who is hunt secretary, was out with his daughter, Aoife, and both going well. Hounds ran almost to Donoughmore church before swinging left-handed over a smashing bit of country. Showing the way was Robert Harkin on his good bay, who is expertly looked after by Fiona Coughlan from her yard in Kilumney. Fiona, on her good cob, was also out, never too far from hounds. Sadly, Robert’s favourite daughter, Sophia, has missed the season, as she is also on the Alps for the winter, but hopes to be back again next season. However, on foot and never far from hounds was young Alex, who acts as countryman for the hunt and, while not hunting, is an electrician - though considering the way he drove, he could be in the running for rally driver of the year.

It wasn’t all plain sailing, as John Cogan missed the take-off over a mini river, but his young daughter Fia, on a cracking coloured, was on hand to get Dad back in the plate.

Eventually, their fox was marked to ground and they went on to draw Conor and Anne O’Leary’s dairy farm. The O’Learys are major organisers of pony games, both nationally and internationally, and hounds found and ran on for Buckley’s wood, where they did two loops, where, as Robert Harkin described it, they had “incredible jumping”, again not without drama, as Chantal Lynch collided with a tree and, in these cases, the tree invariably wins. However, none the worse, she dusted herself off and, still with a smile that would brighten a climate change meeting, she continued as if nothing had happened.

No such misfortune overtook young Ava Walsh on her sterling cob and hounds had a cracking day the following week from a lawn meet at Walsh’s near Aghabullogue.

Keeping us in touch all day were retired paramedic Antony Buckley and Brendan Healy, whose family are key players with the famed Aghabullogue Harriers, though now hunting on foot.

With weather looking ever more ominous and a four-mile hack back to Sully’s, our huntsman blew for home. It was a tired but happy gathering back at the hostelry, where more hot food and other good things awaited the returning hunters.

Information

Chairman - Brendan Browne

President - Jim Willis

Master & Huntsman - Ken Grandon (2014)

Joint-Masters - John Crean (2014), Killian Lynch (2014), Robert Harkin (2003)

Whippers-in - Daniel O’Riordan

Field master - Eamonn Grainger

Hon Sec - Donie O’Riordan

Meets - Wednesday and Saturday 11.30

History

Reputedly the oldest pack in Ireland, though neighbouring Duhallow might dispute this claim. They go right back to the Tonson-Rye family of Rye Court in 1742. Their eggshell blue hunt collar comes from Elspeth Rye, the wife of their founding master and it reflects the colour of her favourite ball gown.

Some previous masters:

John Rye 1742-58, John Tonson Rye 1780-97, Capt. the Hon Ormbsy Gore (11th Hussars) 1884-86, John Peacocke 1910-11 Jerry Rohan 1919-21, Capt. AH Hornsby 1921-40, Sir George Colthurst 1930-45, E.N. Mahony 1945-73, JAC Mahony 11960-73, Noel Tanner 1974-96, J.G. O’Mahony 1998-2001