CRECORA could be looked on as the spiritual home of the Limerick Harriers. For many years, they were kennelled across the road from the meet in Michael Buckley’s farm. Michael had hunted hounds for many seasons with distinction before handing the horn to Aongus McNamara who continued the sporting tradition. In turn, Aongus stood down after 12 seasons and the baton was passed to his first whipper-in Padraic Beehan who comes from nearby Croom.

While records are at best patchy, it is believed that the pack in its current form was founded around 100 years ago in 1917 just as our young State was having its birth pangs. Its founders came from a business background, the Shaws of bacon factory fame for which Limerick was famous and the McDonoughs who started one of Limerick’s first motor dealership. In those days, hunting was restricted to Thursday afternoons and all meets were within easy hacking distance of Limerick City where hounds were kennelled in what is now a shopping mall in the city centre.

I have been hunting with the Limerick Harriers since I was a small boy, have many happy memories through the intervening decades and was looking forward to a return visit. It was jolly scene in Furnell’s with refreshments being dispensed to all and sundry. In recent years, the farm has been developed as an equestrian centre and almost every weekend during the summer it hosts a one-day or Pony Club related event.

The Furnells have been farming and hunting since Patrick Furnell bought their first farm in the area in 1645. In the intervening years, they kept a private pack at their neighbouring farm at Caherelly. The family have a portrait presented to Michael John Furnell on the occasion of his retirement from mastership of the Limerick Harriers in 1864. The hunt mentioned were a private pack which was disbanded long before the present pack was founded. It is recorded that Michael John Furnell was killed hunting with his own hounds in 1874. Their hunting pedigree has remained intact with Dominic Furnell out on a horse of Eugene O’Leary’s hunting on the day. Dominic is one of Ireland’s leading young event riders having competed in the Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials last year on Ballycahane Flower Power.

It was a first Badminton for Dominic (24) who works from home. Last year, Dominic, one of the youngest riders in last year’s Badminton, completed his first four-star at Pau, France. After leaving school, he worked for Lucy Wiegersma, during which time he rode his first winner point-to-pointing on his own horse Clew Bay Cover, a long shot at 200/1.

Ballycahane Flower Power, owned by his father Gerald, is a 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare. Bred by William White, she is by Diamond Clover (also the sire of former four-star horse Tankerstown) out of a mare by the Irish thoroughbred Euphemism. The Furnells have owned her since she was a five-year-old.

Huntsman Padraic Beehan is now in his second season and manages to work as a teacher as well as hunting hounds. He was hunting an all-dog pack and smaller than usual (11 and a half couple) as many of his bitches were in season. There are two foot followers who never miss a day and never leave before hounds go home. They are, of course, Pat and Helen Beehan, Padraic’s parents. Pat is a retired bank manager from Croom but Helen comes from a family steeped in hunting, her nephew Barry Magner hunting America’s premier pack, Mr Steward’s Cheshire in Pennsylvania. Regular whipper-in Gerry Murphy was there on his good bay. Standing in for regular whipper-in Dessie Lenihan was young Myles Harney who runs a horse yard from his home near Dromin. Also missing and on the sick list was Garry McCarthy who is recovering from a hunting mishap which resulted in several stiches just above his eye. Kennel huntsman Brian O’Leary, who also hunts the neighbouring Fedamore Harriers, was out as usual holding a watching brief. They now use a radio tracking system and can tell within 100 metres to where the pack is at any given time.

PEDIGREE

The joint-masters were out in force, senior master and hunt chairman “Small” John McNamara on his cracking grey cob. The family were further represented by his son Christopher and daughter Danielle who was bringing on a smashing bay. Michael Mullane and his wife Linda from Bruree were out with him on a borrowed horse, having lost his good hunter just before Christmas. Linda can trace her pedigree right back to Sir Richard Bourke who went on to be the governor of New South Wales and founding father of the city of Melbourne. The Mullane family were further represented by their two children, Sophie and Harry. Joint-master Sean O’Donovan, who farms nearby and works in the feed industry, was out with his young daughter Megan, a veteran at nine!. Missing but out on foot was Pat Bermingham who was resting his horse.

The younger generation were well represented with Mike Clohessy, who is in the process of installing a robotic milker at home, was out with his two daughters, Jean and young Kate, aged seven. She wasn’t the only seven-year-old as young Maggie Moroney was also out with her dad, John. Never missing a weekend meet was Fiona Doyle whose dad John is one of the longest serving hunt members. When not hunting, Fiona practises as an actuary for a Life company and can figure how long you should live! Another family out were the Fosters, Jim who farms at Fedamore and his two sisters, Marie and Tricia.

After a few welcoming words from John McNamara, hounds moved off to their first draw nearby in a spinney in Furnell’s. They didn’t have long to wait before hounds spoke and without more ado, they were away across the Crecora road running hard for their former kennels in Michael Buckley’s farm. Hounds were briefly at fault but Michael, with a huntsman’s eye, was on hand to see hounds right. Hounds quickly crossed the big trench into Kilpeacon estate and ran through Cudmore’s and on for the Friarstown road. Our pilot was headed by traffic on the road and ran back for Ballyreagan. As this country had already been crossed, the huntsman wisely decided to stop hounds and draw on across the road through Jim McNamara’s dairy farm.

Crossing into Sean O’Donovan’s farm, hounds found besides an old farm building and almost the first fence met was a Leicestershire-style hedge. Hunt staff were over in style, Dominic, on a horse of Eugene O’Leary’s, showed how it should be done. Another young jockey showing a bit of style was Mark O’Regan. Hounds got a grand dash right down through Green Hills eventually marking their fox to ground in Kirby’s farm. Hounds hacked on to their next draw passing Noreen McManus’s former home, now owned by the Kearns family whose son Robbie is a very good event rider.

Pressing on, hounds drew John O’Gorman’s farm at Dooneen. Both John and his daughter Audrey hunted for many years and Audrey’s son Conor was out and following the family tradition. They drew on through Donogh McCarthy’s farm at Lemonfield which hosts the hunt point-to-point due to be held on Sunday, March 4th. With Limerick city in clear view and shadows lengthening, our huntsman blew for home.

HISTORY

The current hunt was formed around 1917 by two of Limerick’s leading business families, the Shaws and McDonoughs. The Shaws owned one of Limerick’s major bacon factories, while the McDonough family were involved in the motor trade. Hounds would have been kennelled in what is now the city centre .They are now a two-day pack hunted by Padraic Beehan and kennelled near Rockbarton.

LIMERICK HARRIERS

Chairman: John McNamara

Joint-masters: John McNamara: Michael Mullane: Pat Bermingham, Sean O’Donovan

Secretary: Marie Wheeler

Huntsman: Padraic Beehan

Whippers-in: Garry McCarthy, Dessie Lenihan, Gerry Murphy, Myles Harney

Kennel huntsman: Brian O’Leary

Treasurer: Tom Griffin