THERE were several firsts last Saturday in the monastic village of Quin in Co Clare.

It was the hunt’s opening meet brought forward from its traditional date of All Saints Day. It was also Daragh Hassett’s first day as incoming master. Daragh, from Spancil Hill, practices as a solicitor in Ennis and comes from a long sporting Clare tradition.

His father Paddy, a well know Clare veterinary surgeon, hunted all his life and was chairman of the hunt on several occasions. His uncle John, another veterinary surgeon, is also a successful trainer. As if all that wasn’t enough, it was a special side saddle day with ladies having come from far and wide to experience the thrill of crossing the stone walls of Clare.

It is always a festive occasion but made even more so by the presence of more than 20 side saddle riders from all over Ireland, Britain and the USA. Malachi Hassett’s sporting bar resembled back stage on opening night of Downton Abbey as ladies in habits and veils were making the final adjustments to their regalia before the saddling bell sounded.

The car park was a hive of activity with well over 100 mounted and one could feel tension mount until hounds arrived led by Declan Moran with his first whip and fiancée Gillian Byrnes riding side saddle on her smashing grey, on loan from Declan’s father Sean. The grey would have carried Gillian and several of her sisters all at the same time without effort.

In honour of the occasion, our first stop was historic Quin Abbey in the middle of the village on the banks of the Rine. The Abbey was founded around 1350 by the McNamara family, then the most prominent local chieftains and given over to the Franciscan Friars to establish their foundation. Were the monks still there surely many vocations would be lost as the side saddle ladies lined up for a photo call beside the nave of the ruined abbey!

Legend has it that among the very first friars were a Father Philip Purcell from Tipperary and a Brother Michael McInerney from Bunratty, monks of extraordinary piety. Surely it must be their descendants who were part of the field on the day with my travelling companion Philip Purcell on his ongoing chesnut and Michael McInerney from Newmarket on Fergus. Both Philip and Michael are men of uncertain years who must have well over a century hunting between them. There is no fear of either bloodline being lost to hunting as both were accompanied by numerous family members.

Phil had daughter Sonya, who is General Secretary of the IMFHA, on her chesnut and looking very elegant side saddle. Making up the family were son Kenneth and his wife Melanie only recently returned from maternity duty. Michael McInerney had his two sons Paul and James out.

Formalities dispensed with, our first draw was to hand on Costelloe land near the Quinville Abbey, a magnificent Gothic house. Here we were given the opportunity to get our eye in over a couple of logs to be followed a really decent wall.

We then crossed over to point-to-point secretary Paul O’Neill’s farm which has enough fences to keep a jumping addict happy. His daughter Leah, riding side saddle, was not only the most local but also the youngest at the tender age of 15 but going like a veteran on her smashing cob. She wasn’t the only junior Clare side saddle as young Kate Atkinson was also out and going well.

Still blank, we hacked on to Cyril McMahon’s farm who was out with his daughter Edel. As we left the road, we were faced with the daunting prospect of a half a dozen walls without a stone missing and most of them a little short of four feet.

Perfect going helped but as the field spread out with some of the walls being jumped 10 abreast, there were more than a few loose horses but no jockey unable to continue. Giving a great display were Amory McMahon from Galway, Jody Moran from Stonehall and Joanne Quirke from the Ward Union, who had taken a crashing fall at the end of last season at the similar day organised by the Stonehall Harriers when her girth broke in mid air as she jumped a big wall.

GOOD THUMP

We hacked back through the village to draw Brian McCarthy’s former farm, now owned by Gareth Kelly, where a good hunt welcome is assured. Drama was to follow.

As hounds were drawing and the field chatting in the morning sunshine, suddenly a random bullock appeared who first had a go at Pat “Ardsollous” Hannon. The bullock then cast his eye on Susanne Arthur riding side saddle on her grey. The angry beast managed to give her a good thump before continuing at speed, happily not to be seen again.

Both Susanne and her mount have blacktype pedigrees. The grey stallion was Killinck Bouncer by the great Grange Bouncer on loan from Jack Lambert and the jockey is daughter of former hunt chairman Jim Arthur. Happily both horse and rider were unhurt by the incident. As we passed Ballykilty Manor, one of our American visitors recalled staying there when she was the Washington Rose in the Rose of Tralee festival.

We then hacked on to Malachi Hassett’s all-weather gallop where, for a few moments, we could imagine we were proper jockeys riding work. Things took a more serious turn as the gallop merged into the schooling fences which we took at what passes for flat out for hunters. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted our field master Kieran O’Connor taking a hay maker as his horse misjudged a point-to-point fence. Kieran, who runs a pub in Ruan, is a brother in-law of all time point-to-point champion Derek O’Connor.

Hounds pressed on with plenty draw still to go. At this stage our field was depleted as the prospect of World Cup rugby in Malachi’s looked an attractive option. The stalwarts pressed on to draw local organiser Brian Clune’s farm leading on into Dermot Costello’s immaculate horse farm. Dermot, a son of the famed Tom Costello of Best Mate fame, is a former point-to-point champion jockey.

As I was chatting to Edwina McCarthy, who has been hunting with Clare’s since she was a child with her dad, well known builder Brian, hounds spoke. With a reduced field of dedicated foxhunters, things looked good.

We hadn’t gone too far when we met a wall that was built by no mere mortals as it was made of huge boulders. Luckily there was a way round but Jonnie Wragg, the side saddle pioneer from Fethard, on a smashing batty wasn’t one for detours. She set her cob up, saw her stride and soared over it. Her blonde pony tail was the last thing to land as it flew straight up in the air!

To see that feat of horsemanship alone made the trip to Clare more than worthwhile. Hounds hunted on but anything after that was something of an anti-climax.

With light and scent fading, our huntsman blew for home just in time for us to see the All Blacks defeat the Springboks. Our side saddle ladies were hunting again the following day with the Stonehall Harriers.

All the while my photographer was kept in touch by former Clare chairman John Horan who kept her in the right place at the right time.

Click here to read about the Galway Blazers opening meet

FACTFILE

Chairman/Master: Daragh Hassett

Hon Secretary: Brian Slattery

Treasurer: Derek Burke

Huntsman: Declan Moran

Field-master: Kieran O’Connor

Whippers-in: Gillian Byrnes, Kieran Walsh, Joe Coffey

Point-to-point secretary: Paul O’Neill

Meets: Thursday 12 noon/Sunday 12.30pm

HISTORY

Founded in 1890, the pack were originally designated as harriers before becoming foxhounds in the 1990s though continuing to hunt in green. Their founding master was Major Hickman of Fenloe House who was also a great racing man. Fenloe continued its racing connection under the ownership of the late Tom Costello who produced five Gold Cup winners including Best Mate, surely a record which will never be beaten. Jimmy Quinn later became master and huntsman before passing over to Gerry Burke and Matty Green among others.

Dickie Power