SADNESS, shock and disbelief gripped hunt followers, family and friends across the hunting world at the recent sad news that Vincent Shields had passed away suddenly at the young age of 65 while getting ready to go hunting.

He occupied a unique place in the world of hunting as he was a current master of the Galway Blazers, and also had occupied that position in the East Galway Foxhounds, the Roscommon Harriers, and the South Mayo Harriers.

It’s nearly impossible to describe Vincent, as once you met him, that welcoming smile stayed with you forever.

Despite being struck by the debilitating disease of Multiple Sclerosis, Vincent did not allow negatives in his life, as he never knew the meaning of the words, can’t, don’t or shouldn’t, to apply to his life, either as a family man, a practitioner of the law, or as a master of hounds.

To Vincent, life was for living and the art of the possible, and he had his hunting tack modified to allow him to continue riding at the front of the followers.

A few straps here and there, and his fellow hunting companions developed a technique of lifting him into the saddle and securing his legs with tape which made him free to continue hunting. You can’t ride at the front and not have a few falls, and when he fractured his femur, it happened to be his good leg which he was delighted with as it would heal faster and allow him to get back hunting. A medical friend assumed that he would retire. “Not a chance”, said Vincent, “You don’t understand, when I am in my chariot (mobility scooter) I may appear to you to have a handicap, but when I am on my hunter I am a man, and equal to everybody else!”

Vincent often mentioned to me about some judges flicking through The Irish Field on a Saturday morning if I had an article in on the Blazers, to bring them up to date on the most recent episode in Vincent’s hunting exploits! In fact one judge kept a photo of Vincent jumping a Galway wall in his chambers as his inspiration for living a full life.

Vincent could not say no to members of his staff wanting to go hunting, especially if it was a popular mid-week meet, usually adding, “pick me up also on your way through Athenry”! He travelled to the USA hunting in Pennsylvania with Mr Stewart’s Cheshire Hounds, to the Rolling Rock in Ligonier, and the Orange County in Virginia with his fellow masters Michael Dempsey, Liam Clancy and Willie Leahy. In fact I met him a couple of times on his chariot racing through Philadelphia Airport on his way to the Rolling Rock.

He loved the literature of the chase, and was thrilled when his son Vincent and daughter Aoife took up hunting with the West Carbury Foxhounds in Cork whose master was none other than Edith Somerville of Somerville & Ross literary fame. Vincent Jnr was invited to join actor Jeremy Irons in the mastership, a position he held until he moved to Tipperary.

THE LAW

Vincent made no secret in the fact that he loved practicing law.

It was in his genes as his grandfather founded VP Shields & Co Solicitors in Loughrea in 1921. Vincent’s uncle Dan was a judge in Dublin and later in Mayo, while his brothers are solicitors and his son Vincent and daughter Aoife are also solicitors. From his office in Athenry, Vincent ran a busy legal practice, specialising also in litigation which brought him to the Four Courts every other week. Independent by nature, a quality admired by family, friends and colleagues, he usually got the train from Athenry and would then mount his ‘chariot’ and ride it up along the footpath to the Four Courts.

Galway Blazers joint masters Liam Clancy and Vincent Shields at the Green Briar (Photo: Noel Mullins)

FUNERAL SERVICE

The funeral service followed two days when Athenry was brought to a standstill with visitors from all over the country arriving at Vincent’s home where he was reposing.

Representatives from the hunting world, legal colleagues, family, people who benefited from Vincent’s wise counsel, and those who were inspired in their own way with the courage of the man. One could say that the pageantry of Vincent’s funeral reflected the pageantry of his life.

One could not help but feel the extraordinary atmosphere on the day of the funeral.

While the ‘Master’ had passed on, his faithful subjects would orchestrate every movement on the day. They never left his side, with his fellow joint-masters of the Blazers, East Galways and the Roscommons escorting his funeral cortege in silence, heads bowed in respect from his home, The Willows, through the narrow winding streets of the town of Athenry to the Church of the Assumption. They carried him to the Altar for the service conducted by the priests of Athenry, Loughrea, Tynagh, Ballymacward and Gurteen to a beautiful musical rendition by Carmel Dempsey of Ride On. Memories of his remarkable life were reflected in the offerings, his red hunting coat, riding hat, a folder to represent his legal work and the Shields Cup that was played for every year on the golf course by his friends and associates.

His son Vincent and his daughter Aoife thanked everybody for coming to honour their father, and recalled mornings being woken up by him at 5am to go autumn hunting. His friend and legal colleague, Stephen McKenzie, in his oration referred to Vincent’s passion for literature and particularly the poetry of Dylan Thomas, reciting a few of his favourite lines from Fern Hill. He related the story of a couple of months ago in the Four Courts when the judges’ gavels struck their benches almost in unison summoning all the lawyers to their chambers for the unveiling of a painting. Vincent was full of curiosity, and on enquiring who the subject was, he was told that nobody knew, but it must be a very important person. Then as it was unveiled, to his surprise, it was a painting commissioned by his legal colleagues of Vincent himself in his master’s hunting livery, jumping a stone wall on his hunter, with his beloved Galway Blazers! This gesture, needless to say is unprecedented in the history of the Four Courts, and the painting adorns the walls of the chamber ever since.

His wife Majella thanked everybody for coming to honour Vincent’s life. Ever since they met hunting with the East Galway Foxhounds, they formed a seamless partnership together. Majella was known as ‘Magic’ to Vincent’s colleagues in the legal profession, the magician who was the complimentary force in Vincent’s life, that allowed him to have time for his family, the law and hunting. She was his driver, organiser, diary planner, homemaker, best friend and confidante, and his death has opened a huge void in her life.

Then during the service came the haunting rendition of Silent Night on the violin, a symbol of family at Christmas.

As the cortege left the church, silence fell as Carmel Dempsey played There is a Bridle Hanging on the Wall. The hunt followers, legal friends and family took over again and escorted Vincent the two miles on foot, head bowed in silence to the New Cemetery. Vincent’s hunter Ray Boy riderless, the universal symbol of a fallen chief, in this instance his Master, joined the funeral cortege at Eamonn Madden’s Forge. Ray Boy was the successor to Vincent’s other well-known hunters, his grey hunter Willie, and the chesnut Bellville.

Ray Boy was in full hunting tack with Vincent’s riding hat strapped to the saddle escorted by his long-time friend, Roscommon Harriers huntsman Oliver Walsh, who looked after Vincent’s hunters, and James Conroy, who transported his hunters to the meets, and led by Cyrilla Larkin and Jess Stone who had his coat gleaming. And when they got to the cemetery, it was remarkable and almost eerie how Ray Boy stood so perfectly still to attention with his eyes totally focused on Vincent’s coffin in the hearse, not moving a muscle, with his ears pricked looking dignified and respectful as his Master was escorted to his final resting place.

The shrill of the hunting horn in the dark fog sounded Going Home, the final tribute to this exemplary gentleman and master of hounds, whose memory will live on in our hearts way into the future, and whenever hunting in Galway is talked about.

Vincent is survived by his loving wife Majella, his children Vincent and Aoife, his grandchildren Molly, Patrick and Maria, sisters Mausi, Dorothy, and Hattie, brothers Thomas, Andrew, Stephen and Daniel, and sisters-in-law Paula and Pauline and brother in law PJ and Donal.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

N.M.