THE hunting world was deeply saddened by the passing of former Meath Foxhounds huntsman Johnny Henry. He gave his working life to foxhunting over 70 seasons. Henry, with whips ‘Speedy’ O’Rourke and Aidan Galligan, were known as the ‘Dream Team’ of foxhunting in Ireland. They provided excellent sport and were on friendly terms with every farmer in the hunting country.

Johnny Henry had a passion for hunting, and following Meath Gaelic Football. He was approached over the years to hunt many packs, and even to hunt a coyote pack in North America! He regarded himself as fortunate he hunted hounds, and although it was a seven-day a week job, every day seems to be a short one. He was born five miles from the Meath Foxhounds’ kennels. His father was a dairy farmer on a small Land Commission farm. His only experience with horses were farm horses.

Fate decided John Henry’s future career. Colonel Cameron, then joint-master of the Meaths, asked Johnny’s father if he knew anybody that could work with horses, so at 13 years of age, Johnny went to work in the Meath Kennels. It meant packing up school, but that was a welcome relief.

He spent two years looking after the hunt horses while Colonel Cameron was hunting the bitches and Charlie Bird hunted the doghounds. Davey Dorney and Dodo Dunne were whipping-in. After only one year, Johnny Henry was appointed as second whip. Sport was fantastic and after two years, Henry was appointed first whip. But in 1959 another rapid promotion was imminent.

Brigadier Fowler, Captain Elwes and Colonel Hume-Dudgeon were joint-masters and they immediately recognised Johnny Henry’s unique talent. At the tender age of 21 years of age, they appointed him as professional huntsman of the Meath Foxhounds. Colonel Cameron took Johnny to the local Bamba Hall where the Navan Brass Band trained so that he could be taught to blow the hunting horn properly.

Johnny was fascinated with hound bloodlines, and the Meath Foxhounds went on to win at every hound show in the country, and swept the boards on many occasions taking numerous championships at the National Hound Show in Stradbally. One of his favourite hounds was Petal who he described as ‘out of this world’.

Johnny Henry liked to recall a ‘Red letter’ day at Warrenstown in big challenging ditch country. Hounds ran to Dunboyne and then on to Maynooth, in a wide circle crossing the road into the Poorhouse and marked to ground in Kilmoon. The pace was so fast and the going so tough that he rode three horses that day, for a fast run of over two hours ending in darkness.

FAMILY MAN

Johnny Henry married Kathleen Carry in 1968 who he met at a dance in Kells and they moved into a house in the kennels. There they raised a large family who all lived for hunting. His son Kenny described his father as two Johnny Henrys. One in a red coat hunting hounds, who he described as ‘the complete package’, a great voice, master of the hunting horn and unsurpassed as a horseman over any country. Then there was the Johnny Henry without the red coat, relaxed, the family man and following his passion for Meath Gaelic football. He played for four different local clubs often going from a day’s hunting, after feeding his hounds and bedding down his horses, to team training that evening. It was not unusual to have five Henrys on the same team, and the current joint-huntsman John Jr. has played at every level in the game for Co Meath.

Johnny’s best horse was named Driscoll, given to him by Brigadier Fowler. He hunted hounds off him for seven seasons and he never once went lame. Mrs. Burke of Stackallan House made a present of a horse, named George, that he described as “a serious…serious…horse”. He once remarked to her that the horse was brilliant, to which she replied, “Well you do ask him some serious questions!”

He lost count of the number of joint-masters that he served under, but that they all were very supportive. Now both of his sons share the hunting duties, with Kenny hunting the doghound pack and John Jnr. the bitch pack. After retiring as huntsman, John Snr. continued as field-master until his sons filled the role on the days that they were not hunting hounds

Johnny Henry was laid to rest after Mass in Christ the King Church in Cortown. He was predeceased by his daughter Bernadette, and is survived by his wife Kathleen, sons John, David, Christopher, Kenny and Martin, and his daughters Elizabeth and Maria, his sisters Rita, Betty, Tess and Bernie, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, granddaughter and a wide circle of friends.

N.M.