MID-November and our fourth opening meet – this time it was the Kilmoganny hunt opening meet at the village of the same name in South Kilkenny, not far from Carrick-on-Suir. There was a great turnout especially of younger members, the future looks bright! The club celebrates its 101st anniversary this year. Kilmoganny, in their green livery reflecting the pack’s harrier origins and looked very smart, have been registered as Foxhounds since 1984.

All the joint-masters are local and two of the three were mounted on the day – engineer George Frisby, the third master, is nursing a football injury and is among the walking wounded. The club is very local and encourage and cherish a strong local DNA in its following. The three joint-masters all grew up hunting with Kilmoganny. All three were very fortunate to have grown up and hunted under some of the most famous huntsmen and masters in Ireland who provided great role models for them to carry on. They follow in the footsteps of Charlie Blacque, Rory Dicker, Patricia Brennan, Jimmy Keane, Seamus Molloy, Michael Higgens, Paul O’Brien, Ivan Dowley, Rory O’Gorman, Rosemary Driver, not excluding the current incumbent Finbarr Murray to that illustrious list!

Special event

The day was a special day for Kilmoganny Club and the locality, Breda Cahill has joined the mastership. Often it is said at a new Masters first opening meet, a huge congratulations and from that day on, commiserations! James Phelan in a short address welcomed Breda to the mastership and wished her a long and successful tenure. Her grandmother Biddy would have had a very big smile on her face looking down at Sunday’s opening meet. Breda’s family, the Fitzpatricks and the Power family, provided the horse power for many of the Kilkenny/McCalmount guests staying at Mount Juliet in the 1940s and 50s, there is a long tradition of hunting in her family. Breda was joined on horseback by her husband Ramie and their daughter Ivana and brother Keith. Breda’s father John was on hand to clear the country for the day, helped by her husband Ramie and William Kearney who was the field-master for the day.

Followers galore

Retired Master Patricia Brennan was present with her mother, Francoise Blacque. Charlie Blacque, Patricia’s father had hunted the Kilmoganny with great distinction from Castletown where the hounds have been kennelled for over 70 years. Castletown is a country-sports mecca, having hosted local hunt point-to-point races on numerous occasions over the last 250 years, first recorded by Dorothea Herbert in her diary from the late 1700s. The Blacques are related to Lord Waterford. Tyrone’s (Lord Waterford) mother’s family sold Castletown to the Blaques in the 1920s. Tyrone kindly hosted a fun ride for the Kilmoganny at Curraghmore the previous Sunday. Both families and the hunt have a long and historic connection with Castletown and hunting in this beautiful part of south Kilkenny, long may this continue.

Further veterans of the hunt who continue to be the backbone of the hunt are Ray Townsend, celebrating his 50th opening meet. Supporting on their feet were Michael Grace, Michael Brannigan, Marianne O’Donnell her daughter Kate and son-in-law Dave and Noreen O’Keefe.

Before hounds moved off, tradition demanded an ecumenical blessing. Those who had recently passed away were remembered including William Phelan, and Martyn McHenry whose father was a founding member of the hunt. Martyn famously bred Red Rum. Others remembered included Helen Murphy, John Doyle, Alice Walsh and Seamus Purcell.

Huntsman Finbarr Murray, a passionate hound man, was assisted in the kennels over the summer by Declan Kehoe. Finbarr previously hunted the United Hunt in east Cork. He now lives with his family at the Kennels in Castletown in one of the most idyllic houses in Ireland. Finbarr was accompanied by partner Caroline Gould on a cracking coloured mount which she had been showjumping all summer. Both looked the part and have by all accounts settled in well at the kennels having moved from part-time to full-time huntsman of Kilmoganny.

The first draw was at the famous hunt covert called the Blue Hill, just outside the village. Area managers had done their work well and there was plenty of land available to hunt. Scent was patchy but hounds worked well and were rewarded with a fast hunt around the Blue Hill. The field enjoyed some nice jumping in wall country followed by some nice double drains to dust off the summer cobwebs.

It was very much a family day out, former chairman Johnny Walsh and his son Jack were both mounted on greys, Susan Cleary from Ninemile house was mounted on a very smart coloured horse with Pamela Kennedy and her daughter Tara. Henry and Heather De Bromhead’s children Mia, Jack and Georgia, were all there and following the family tradition. Henry is having a brilliant season, only last Sunday winning a Grade 2 novice chase in Cheltenham with Put The Kettle On.

The Kent family’s Eamonn who is honorary whipper-in, Heather, and their son David were all out. Hunt treasurer Angela Kickam was not riding but appeared on foot. She is one of the Brett family from Callan, who farm extensively in the area. Also absent was hunt secretary Roberta Dowley. Mounted very smartly were Marie Kelly Fitzgerald from Templeoran and lifelong supporter Susan Morris, whose late father was a master of the Kilmoganny in addition to her late husband Michael.

Gary Graham and Paddy Donovan were both back for the opening meet. Jackie Freyne, arrived rather belatedly having had an eventful journey from the neighbouring Tipperary. Sarah Bould was out, on a millionaire batty still recovering from the excitement of leading Harry McCalmont’s horse to the sale ring that made 1.3 million guineas at Newmarket last month. Sarah is the girlfriend of young Johnny Dicker of Transport Command in the Curragh. He comes from a family steeped in hunting, his father Rory being a previous master in Kilmoganny and his mother Mary the hunt secretary.

Happy out

Hounds pressed on to their next draw after the Blue Hill through Brendan Barry’s to Kieran Purcell’s farm nearby. Guiding the hunt through Purcell’s farm was his granddaughter Alana Dunphy, who is an avid mounted follower of the hunt. Unfortunately Kieran’s farm drew blank, as did Brett’s and Whelan’s. With failing light and scent, our huntsman blew for home and some light refreshments at the ever-welcoming Dunphy’s public house. Hounds and riders went home with a smile looking forward to the next 100 years of Kilmoganny.