GATHABAWN could be looked on as the spiritual home of the North Kilkennys as their kennel is located nearby in Ballyring. Conveniently, huntsman Noel Rafter was able to hack down to the meet with hounds. As he was so near kennels, he was hunting an unusually big number with 18 and a half couple of Old English.

Gathabawn is lucky enough still to have a thriving country pub, Mackey’s, which has one of the most unusual and picturesque interiors. The North Kilkennys are, above all, a happy and welcoming hunt and their hounds reflect this as they were looking a picture. Gathabawn has a special place in racing lore as it is the home of the Bowe family who owned, bred and trained Limestone Lad, who went on become one of Ireland’s leading hurdlers, notably beating Istabraq in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle. He was specially honoured by having the Grade 3 hurdle in Naas bearing his name. Just to show it wasn’t a flash in the pan, the family went on to race the great mare Solerina, who won no fewer than 22 races.

So pleasant was Mackey’s, it was something of a disappointment when the saddling bell sounded and jockeys got mounted. Enjoying the meet was one of the founding families, Tom Phelan, who was out in his car but had lost none of his enthusiasm.

All four joint-masters were out and looking the part in scarlet. Liam Murphy, now in his 20th season, is very much of the North Kilkenny DNA. His late father, Jack, being one of the three founders with the sporting curate Fr Kearns. Liam is a dairy farmer who hosts the hunt point-to-point on his land. Perhaps he is better known as a farming inventor being the brains and driving force behind “Unique Inventions” which produces labour-saving devices around the farm. His latest product is a tractor-mounted calf feeder.

Huntsman Noel Rafter is now in his 10th season having learned his trade with David Thompson before he went on the hunt the Laois. Perhaps it was David’s influence who, when not hunting hounds, prepares polo ponies as the hunt staff were turned out almost polo-style with tails bound up and would not have looked out of place in high Leicestershire. Assisting him were the O’Neill brothers, Thomas and Michael, who, when not hunting, work in motor trade and forestry respectively. However they manage their holidays so that they can hunt two days a week. They come from a most sporting pedigree as their dad, Tommy, who works for the local authority, rarely misses a day as does their brother James, a fitter by trade. It is that spirit of volunteerism that allows most of what is good in this country to continue. Looking very smart and well turned out was hunt newcomer, veterinary surgeon Helena Kennedy who practises in nearby Gowran.

Move off was prompt at the appointed time of 12.30pm (they meet half an hour earlier midweek) and the first draw was to hand in Billy Grogan’s covert adjacent to the village. Girths were barely tightened when hounds spoke and all too soon, our pilot was spotted slipping away by Michael O’Neill and quickly hounds were on. Scent was never better than patchy but hounds worked their line well, running for the back road where he was headed by traffic and retraced his path. Here the field met some nice banks and drains and Tanya Heffernan, on a Connemara-cross grey, as usual gave a most stylish display. She learned her trade as work jockey for the mighty Jim Bolger stable and it shows! Her son Jamie is following in his father’s (Seamie Heffernan) footsteps and is a work jockey at Ballydoyle. His father is probably the most underrated flat jockey in Ireland, riding second string for Aidan O’Brien but winning countless group and listed races including three Irish Derbys, the Oaks at Epsom in 2012 on the Ballydoyle filly Was, and capped it all off this year by winning the Breeders Cup Turf on Highland Reel.

As hounds ran back towards the village, their quarry found a welcoming earth in Brennan’s and was marked to ground. Our huntsman pressed on to the next draw in Tom Phelan’s and before too long, hounds spoke and despite limited scent, pressed their fox across a nice bit of country. They met a really decent bank into Henderson’s with a good jump on and even more so at the far side. Joint-master Billy Healy, out on his new chesnut, gave a great display with his daughter Jennifer, now studying for her Leaving Cert, not too far behind.

CUTTING A DASH

However, when it comes to style, the palm has to go to Brian Murphy, out on a smashing grey he was bringing on. Brian, a former whip to George Chapman in the Island, won the RDS supreme hunter championship this year on Pat Loughlin’s Four Knocks, who was sold to go hunting in Holland with the Royal Dutch Hunt. Pat, a former master of the neighbouring Kilkenny, produces most of the hirelings in that part of the country. Brian was closely tracked by huntsman’s sister Deirdre Rafter, an accountant, who looked very smart on a nice bay. Their dad Michael, a stalwart of the hunt, was out on foot and was collecting cap, a duty he performed with both efficiency and good humour.

Neither were the veterans found wanting. John Costello, former huntsman of the Kilmoganny, was out rather daringly on a three-year-old who performed like a veteran. His sister Ann Callinan, who has been hunting since God was a boy, was also going well and was accompanied by her son Darragh. Father and daughter team Jim Brennan and daughter Niamh were both out and going well. Young Niamh is a Leaving Cert student in Kilkenny College.

Our pilot was marked to ground in a shore which was reputedly as long as the Channel Tunnel.

Hounds crossed the road to draw what is one of the few remaining coverts owned by the hunt and it didn’t disappoint. Fourth season dog Liston, by Limerick Linbit, soon had a fine dog fox afoot who ran towards the road where he was spotted crossing by hunt secretary Michael Maher, who was out on foot. Hounds quickly owned the line and hunted their fox across the road towards the kennels and hunter trial course which is owned by the hunt. Here the field were able to enjoy some of the made fences as our huntsman cast his hounds. However, their pilot was spotted making his way for a huge forestry on the neighbouring hillside and huntsman wisely decided to give Reynard best.

Breeda’s wood remained to be drawn and held a fox. A nice dash ensued over some nice country in fading light. It was almost dusk as hounds marked their fox to ground and made the short hack back to a warm welcome in Mackey’s.

FACTFILE

Kennels: Ballyring, Freshford, Co Kilkenny

Chairman: Eddie Fitzpatrick

Joint-master: Billy Healy, Sean Doheny, Liam Murphy, Brian Coady

Secretary: Michael P. Maher

Point-to-point secretary: Priscilla Flanagan

Hunter trials secretary: Shane McKeever

Huntsman: Noel Rafter

Whipper-in: Michael O’Neill, Thomas O’Neill

HISTORY

The country was first hunted by the Kilkenny Foxhounds before being given on loan to Richard Wandesforde of Castlecomer. It was then known as the Freshford country. At that time, the Wandsforde’s family ran one of Ireland’s last coal mines which was by far the largest enterprise in Castlecomer.

With the onset of war, the hunt’s future looked uncertain until the curate of Freshford, Fr Kearns, a keen hunting man, persuaded three local farming families the Murphys, Dillons and Phelans to take over the hunt. The rest, as they say, is history with Liam Murphy, son of the founding master now senior joint-master, a role he shares with his cousin Billy Healy. The mastership is completed by Sean Doheny and Brian Coady. It has remained primarily a farmer’s pack to this day.