HAVING met many of the of the Mullinavat Harrier members on our trip to the Kilmoganny meet at Glenmore, we made a firm resolve to visit the Co Kilkenny pack before the season’s end. And so last Sunday saw us venture to Ballyhale. Even with my limited knowledge of GAA, the name of Ballyhale rang several bells. In a county where hurling and GAA are a religion, Ballyhale Shamrocks are the Vatican of hurling, having won more national silverware than any other club in Ireland. Not only that, it is the home club of Henry Sheflin, regarded by many as the greatest exponent of the national game since Christy Ring. The Sheflin’s farm is almost in the village. Their cousin Michael from nearby Mullinavat is a keen hunting man and runs Annshoon Stud where he stands the successful Sadler’s Wells horse Masterofthehorse.

Following the GAA connection, it was to the Shamrocks car park to which we were directed to find a fine assembly of horses, riders and hounds ready to move off as the Angelus bell struck noon.

The Mullinavats, unlike most Sunday packs, do not meet at a pub, preferring to be able to concentrate on hunting with a clear mind. Huntsman PJ Aylward in John Peel green was on a smashing second season horse that really caught my eye and looked a proper huntsman’s horse.

I had previously met PJ when he hunted the nearby Kilmoganny for two seasons. His whipper-in Jim Kenny, with couples hanging on his saddle brasses shining, though amateur, would not have looked out of place as first whip to one of the smart county packs. The 11 and a half couple were no less impressive, mostly home-bred Black and Tan Kerry Beagles.

Indeed it is part of Mullinavat lore that, as the hunt was being formed in 1947, intrepid travellers made several trips in a Volkswagen Beetle to far distant Cahirciveen to get Kerry beagles as foundation stock for the pack. These founding fathers were Jimmy McDonald, the pack’s first huntsman, and Larry Byrne who succeeded him and went on to carry the horn for over 30 seasons. Current whip Jim Kenny is a nephew of Larry Byrne who still farms near Glenmore with his sister Alice. It was a privilege for Catherine and I to able to meet Larry, who was out on the day, but sadly Alice had to remain at home as Larry described it as “farm manager”. They are dyed in the wool foxhunters and walk several couple of foxhound puppies during the summer.

Hunt chairman Michael Rockett, looking very smart with a spotted hunt stock, farms at nearby Slievrue and was out with his daughter Karen who works as a hairdresser.

Hounds promptly moved off to the first draw by the old creamery in some stubble ground with a well wooded glen nearby. Here we were able to meet second whipper-in Alan Harney who is a work jockey with the Henry de Bromhead stable. First draw was by the old creamery and this brings us to Ballyhale’s other great claim to fame. Ballyhale Co-Op creamery was the founding member of Avonmore which went on to become Glambia, second only to Kerry in terms of Irish international food companies.

ON POINT

While hounds were drawing, it gave an opportunity to chat to hunt staff who were on point without hopefully distracting them too much. Jim Kenny, always beautifully turned out, whose family are steeped in the hunt, had turned hounds to Niall Dunne in Waterford for two seasons and still acts as amateur whipper-in on Tuesdays. Alan Harney meanwhile was ahead of hounds keeping an eagle eye out while PJ Hartley from Glenmore was out on a business-like grey. He is an agricultural contractor which gives him unrivalled contact with farmers in the hunt country.

For all that, the first draw was blank and as hounds went on for the ‘Black Ditches’ just off the Kilmoganny road. Here we were taken under the wing of local area manager Sean Aylward. Sean hunted up to last season until a bad knee intervened. A proper hunting family, his wife Mary is hunt treasurer and daughter Mary (Cotterell) was out on a nice bay and going well. She, in turn, is married to Steven Cotterell who up to recently was first whipper-in to Robert Kent who preceded PJ Aylward. Steven retired only recently from hunting to concentrate on building up a huge dairy operation. Not mounted on the day but out on foot was Shane Aylward, son of Sean and an engineer with Kilkenny County Council who was catching up on the end of the shooting season.

The Aylwards are a serious political family. Sean’s brother Bobby is TD for Carlow/Kilkenny while his older brother Liam only recently stepped down as MEP for Ireland East having previously been TD for the constituency.

COVER

The Black Ditches proved to be a semi-mature conifer plantation still with plenty of cover. It must have been the venue for the annual fox convention as it held at least four brace, it was hard for our huntsman to get hounds to concentrate on the hunted fox as the plantation reverberated with hound music. Occasionally a fox would appear only to dodge back to join his companions. Holding a watching brief was keen hunting man Johnny Dicker from Stoneyfort, a captain in the Irish army, whose family hunt the nearby Rockview Harriers.

But eventually two second season hounds, the black and tan Rascal and Rocket, managed to get on terms and at last Reynard made for open country, running towards the village only to find a welcoming shore and was marked to ground.

A short hack brought hounds to their next draw to Kilkeasy near the quad track. Here they met some really decent stone walls particularly the first which took a bit of jumping. It had been cemented together by some diligent wall builders and was not for moving. Added to that the approach was well worn making it almost a foot higher from where horses had to take off.

As hounds crossed it, two second season hounds, Rebel and Noel, both black and tan, took interest in a briary thicket and almost immediately they had their fox away who set his mask for Sean Aylward’s nearby young conifer plantation. Caution thrown to the wind as the field had to jump this serious wall.

“Hard and tall stood the rasping wall,

It must be taken at speed or not at all”

UP AND OVER

Well, that’s just what they did. Hunt staff, with their concentration on staying with the hunting pack, made little of it.

Hunt chairman Michael Rocket, closely followed by his daughter, popped over, as did Debbie Coady with her two children, Emily and the gallant Paddy. Lord Waterford, visiting for the day from Curraghmore, gave a great display on his good bay.

However, for me, the performance of the day were mother and daughter Roisin and Emma Fitzgerald, two newcomers to the hunting field from Glenmore. They were on two coloured cobs who, while they might be limited on the flat, could jump for Ireland and were ridden accordingly. More stiff walls followowed, giving plenty to do for wall builder Enda Walsh, whose wife Marie was out and going well. She is a sister to Catherine Kent, hunt secretary and wife of huntsman PJ whose family are steeped in the hunt.

Our pilot took hounds and field on a good spin over some smashing walls towards the duck pond and eventually back to the plantation where he managed to find a welcoming shore under a large heap of rocks.

As huntsman blew the gone to ground so ended a very enjoyable and successful day on our first trip to the Mullinavat Harriers. If invited it won’t be our last!

All that remained was a quick trip to Rockview Lodge in nearby Stoneyford, home of Rory and Mary Dicker, and, more importantly, kennels of the Rockiew Harriers, always a hospitable pit stop for tired and hungry correspondents!

Factfile

Kennels: Ballyquin, Mullinavat, Co Kilkenny

Couples: 30.

Chairman: Michael Rockett

Secretary: Catherine Kent, Telephone: 051-885253 087-6681164.

Huntsman: PJ Aylward

Whipper-in: Jim Kenny

Country hunted: South Kilkenny

Meets: Sunday, 12 noon

HISTORY

A local farmers hunt, established in 1947-1948