We so often see how talented players can create opportunities despite the most unfavourable conditions. That is just what huntsman Kevin Donohue did at the meet recently at Ballinlough village.

Despite the adverse weather of driving wind and rain, he weaved a bit of hunting magic and produced a textbook day with wise draws and delicate casts. Although drenched to the skin, he seemed to be totally oblivious, such was his concentration on the job at hand.

Then Donohue and his whips Bobby Kellett and Maurice Quinn don’t disappoint, as they are a professional team that could hunt hounds anywhere in the world. They have a tight knit extended team of field-master Ken Farrelly, with Alan Keogan, who is the reigning European Mounted Games Champion, looking after the country. Karl Clinton makes sure every farm is left secure, while Colm Tully and Garry Fitzsimons look after the kennels.

The joint-masters are Jim Stevenson and Thosh Kellett, a true country sports enthusiast. He is chairman of the family-owned Respa Beds, established in 1947 and the largest employer in Oldcastle.

Recently the pack has been flying, with a five-mile point in an hour and 15 minutes at Billis and another at Castlerahan of an hour and five minutes with plenty of 45 and 50 minute runs also enjoyed.

At the National Foxhound Show in Stradbally last July, with the largest numbers of entries to date, Donohue and his team had a fantastic show with all homebred hounds. They won the best couple of entered doghounds, best unentered bitch, best couple of entered bitches and, one of the most difficult classes to win, the best two couple of entered bitches. To crown off the performance, they won the bitch championship.

Donohoe produces made hunters, a tradition that goes back to his father Barry, who also hunted the pack. After a season, hunters produced in the Ballymacad country have experienced every type of obstacle, so they are in demand everywhere in the hunting world, especially in Ireland, but also in Britain by packs such as the Beaufort, Ledbury, Grafton and the Cotswold Vale Farmers. The Ballymacads are active promoters of hunting, holding introductory non-jumping days for riders new to hunting.

The meet was at Mary McGrane’s Halfway House Pub in Ballinlough where Linda Farrelly was put to the pin of her collar to keep the hot ports served, providing central heating on such a terrible day that even ducks were taking shelter! Hunting were Chloe McKenna and her father Steve, Mary Jane Roberts, joint honorary secretary Liz Brogan, Jarlath Bates and course builder Tony McMenamin, who is currently building courses for Killossery, Boden Park and Joan Keogh.

Marina Hope was on Colm Kelleher’s Argentinean polo pony who seems to have adjusted from the South American Pampas to the hunting fields of Co Meath! Also out were Pat Hanly, Eoghan McCabe, Edel Tuite and Mark Meehan and his wife Sarah, who does the horses for Charlie Noelle. Twelve-year-old Colin Hawdon was on a smashing four-year-old grey pony who his grandfather Barry Donohoe bought at Cavan Sales.

On foot were Ann Marie Galligan, Paul Sheridan, Johnny Bonham, John Flood and Deirdre Meehan, who hunts all traditional Irish-bred horses with the Meynell in England. The huntsman’s four-year-old daughter Aoibhinn wisely decided to leave her pony Mrs Dunne at home.

SET FOR ACTION

The rain started as it meant to continue all day, but more than 50 followers were set for action. Hounds quickly cold marked a fox in the thick hedges in Keoghs off King’s Mountain Road, before drawing Pat Connolly’s bog which was blank, as was Ballhiss and Beggans’ bog, as foxes were content to stay underground.

Lolita Black, who grew up hunting in the Scarteen country, and Sarah Henderson were happy taking photographs for the hunt’s Facebook site.

The huntsman wasted no time drawing Drumleroy where hounds were on song. The fox took them on a series of twists and turns running for Swans Brook and then on over Cross River for about two miles to Ballydurroch where they checked on the road. The huntsman let them cast themselves as one hound spoke at the river and the pack honoured it. However, the fox probably found a spot in a pipe, but what a fantastic spectacle to observe, particularly the concentration of the pack.

The rain was by now in downpour as the huntsman drew Bernard O’Reilly’s covert, where Michael Tuite saw a fox crossing the lane. Hounds nailed the line and set their sights for King’s Mountain, swinging right-handed where they instantly checked.

The huntsman waited and in a quiet voice urged them on and then the music symphony continued again. Another check, another word of encouragement and then they were off again along Stonefield Road.

Despite the wind and rain it was a joy to watch them cast themselves on the hill in a weaving pattern like birds in flight, right-handed and then left-handed. Each hound took their turn until they really managed to own the line as they disappeared on over Stonyford Hill and then on for Bons Hills. However, in near darkness they fortunately checked at Patrickstown on the Kells to Oldcastle Road, where whips Bobby Kellett and Maurice Quinn were in the right place at the right time to stop them just before Loughcrew Forest.

It was a remarkable example of teamwork, hunt staff, ground staff and a cracking pack of foxhounds. Hunting with the Ballymacad Foxhounds is best described by the local Respa Beds slogan, ‘what dreams are made of’!