Limerick Foxhounds

Kennels: Clonshire, Adare,

Joint-masters: John Halley, Lady Ana Johnson, Emma Thompson

Chair: William Harty

Honorary secretary: Dee Hogan

Huntsman: Fergus Stokes

Whipper-in: David Beecher

Meet days: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday

George Blennerhassett of Ridelstown is credited with being the first master of the pack around1800. In about 1830, Mr Croker of Ballinagarde took on the pack with Geo Fosbury which went on to become the Co Limerick Foxhounds. They have been kennelled in Clonshire (the property of the hunt) since 1930. Clonshire is now one of Ireland’s leading equestrian centres.

LAST Monday we were guests of the goddess Aine, the goddess of light, who is reputed to live on the hill of Knockainey (near Bruff), which hosted a meet of our local pack, the famed Co Limerick Foxhounds. Aine is not just the goddess of light but she also double jobs covering fertility and love, both very important in the world of hunting! Well despite dire forecasts, the goddess granted us as a lovely bright crisp sunny day, absolutely ideal for hunting.

Their fabulous pack of Old English foxhounds, expertly produced by huntsman Fergus Stokes and whipper-in David Beecher, just looked a picture. This pack stems from hounds brought to Ireland just after the war by Lord Daresbury and the bloodlines have been maintained, and some would say, improved in the intervening decades. Fergus, who learned his trade with Ger Withers in Duhallow, has now been hunting the pack for several seasons and at this stage, knows every blade of grass in Limerick. By contrast this is David Beecher’s first season having spent the last couple of seasons with Gavin Shorten in Tipperary.

All three joint-masters were on hand though Lady Anna Johnson was on foot as she was on family duty. However, her cousin Emma Thompson was on her good grey. Though born and bred in Croom, she now lives (on non-hunting days) in London. Emma’s page is on the rise as her brother, Sir Francis Brooke, has just been appointed HM The Queen’s representative in Royal Ascot. He is the first Irishman to have held such a prestigious post. He replaces Johnny Weatherby who will be stepping down after the next Royal meeting.

The role of senior joint-master is filled by John Halley, a position he has held since 2007, and appears to enjoy it more every day he is out. On the day he was accompanied by his two sons, his fellow veterinary surgeon David who works in the family practice, Fethard Veterinary, which must be one of the biggest equine practices in Ireland with over 30 vets, many of them specialists. Also on board was young Jack Halley who owns and runs the iconic Hayes Hotel in Thurles, the birthplace of the GAA. Completing the group was Aisling Appleby, the better half of leading trainer Charlie Appleby. She wouldn’t have to enquire the route to Knockrainey as she comes from Pallaskenry near Askeaton.

It was great to see our former farrier Cal O’Connell, hail and hearty at the meet to see his son Timmy off with his wife Adrienne, who hunts with both the Scarteen and Limerick. Timmy is the farrier to the stars, shoeing all JP’s Martinstown horses including the legendary Istabraq. Timmy was area manager for the day and had put in a huge amount of work to make it a success. From Athlacca, mother and son team Anne Marie Walsh and young Jake were on hand and can really cross the country with the best of them. It was nice to meet my old hunting colleague Liz Barry from Manister where her son Luke runs the very successful Manister House Stud. She had her young grand niece India Matson out whose family are key people in the Wynstay Hunt.

On the dot of 11am, Fergus sounded the move off and with the first draw less than a minute’s hack away in Neilus and Miriam Hayes’s Knockainey Stud, which regularly tops the elite yearling sales and only recently achieved a price of €220,000 for a Kodiac filly. In the past, the stud bred no less than two Derby winners, Galtee More and Ard Patrick, when it was in the ownership of the Gubbins family. Neilus was on hand to welcome hounds but none of his family were riding as they were away.

However, a local connection was maintained in the form of John Gleeson who trains a string of pointers out of the Knockrainey yard. He was on his best horse, a businesslike black that he had got from Simon Hope in the UK.

Old friends

As hounds drew (and it was blank), it gave us an opportunity to catch up with old friends such as hunt secretary and general ‘go to’ person, Dee Hogan. The term secretary doesn’t quite describe her role in the hunt and if it were a business, CEO might be a truer description. Visiting from Tipperary was Jack Ronan whose home pack are having a super season.

Kieran Cusack, who is a major builder, is field-master and helping up front was Shane Stokes, Fergus’s brother, who gets out every day he can. Also part of the team was former whipper-in Jamie Byrne, who works as stud groom at Islanmore Stud. Through the good offices of stud manager Nigel Anderton, he is able to juggle his hours so as to get as many days hunting as possible.

Nigel has made a great success of Islanmore, owned by Cian and Sue Anne Foley. He comes from a proper hunting background being the nephew of the late Maria O’Grady who so sadly lost her life while hunting with the Tipps.

Hounds then crossed the road to draw Cooke’s farm before going on to more Cooke land across the Hospital road towards Bottomstown. This is looked on by connoisseurs as the cream of Limerick country, even exceeding Dromin Athlacca.

Untouched banks

John Cooke’s farm produced the first fox of the day and away they went over the biggest and best. John Cooke and his sister Catherine hunted for many years and come from a great hunting tradition. This bit of old country has banks untouched by modernity. Roads are scarce with huge blocks of land in between. Under instruction from Timmy, we were in the right place on the boundary of John and their near neighbours Kevin Cooke who came down on his racing quad bike to see hounds through. His young sister Sarah Jane on her really ongoing grey was one of the first over and gave a great display.

Hunt treasurer Mathew Lloyd from Kilballyowen and Emma Buckley from Crecora showed bank jumping at its best. Needless to say, the maestro John Gleeson, complete with cigar, recovering from a dislocated shoulder, made nothing of it.

Keeping us up with pace was Sean Kelly who, despite his Tipperary origins, has developed an encyclopaedic knowledge of most of Co Limerick. He travels as part of the Halley team and always brings the horses and then follows around during the day.

The music was mighty as hounds hunted their fox on towards the Baggotstown road with serious jumping which took no prisoners. As they jumped into Tom Conolly’s farm, our huntsman decided to take up beagling in his scarlett coat as his horse disappeared towards Mount Coote. Soon to join him on foot was joint-master Emma Thompson but she was fortunate in having Dee Hogan nearby who caught her horse relatively quickly so she had to run no more than two or three fields!

Fitness experts say a brisk run in the middle of the day is very good for you! Another member of the tumblers was area manager Timmy but fortunately his good wife Adrienne on her foot-perfect grey had his horse caught in jig time.

Hounds crossed the Baggotstown road at speed and crossed the Morning Star river but our pilot knew where he was going and found refuge in a welcoming shore and was left. A sad sight was Jamie Byrne leading his horse who had got hurt but expert help was on hand as team Halley had brought the mobile X-ray with them and were able to give the horse a clean bill of health.

Hounds then drew on towards Bulgaden but the best was over. Eventually they finished up at Bulgaden Castle where our visitors from the Bicester were able to retire to for rehydration.

Limerick still has the magic touch!