THE setting for the Louth Foxhounds meet was the historic 17th century Beaulieu House and Gardens on the outskirts of Drogheda in Co Louth with its period paintings and Baroque carvings. It was hosted by the owner, Cara Konig, a former actress, designer and model for Pretty Polly Tights. She herself is an enthusiastic hunt follower and was on horseback on the day.

No effort was spared and the range of refreshments reflected the extremely high standard that Cara sets for her stately home which is available for private parties, and corporate events. Livery is also available in the courtyard. Many will have seen the Francis Brennan At Your Service RTE television programme when he and his brother John visited Beaulieu. As Cara, who is the 12th generation of the family to own the property in the last 800 years, keeps such a high standard of maintenance of the house and estate, the Brennans came to the conclusion that the house and estate does not need change, only marketing. However, the costs of supporting such a house are substantial, so planning permission has been applied for a solar farm hidden away out of sight on the estate which would go a long way to underpinning the future of Beaulieu for the next generation.

The Louth Foxhounds celebrated its 200th anniversary last year and hunt chairman Stephen Gunne and his team made sure this landmark occasion was not overlooked as over 200 followers, friends and guests sat down to a celebratory lunch after the annual Puppy Show in the Mistresses Garden where huntsman Alan Reilly presented the new entry, and then the impressive sight of his whole pack in the ring. Hounds were judged by former Louth huntsman Michael McKeever and Kate Jarvey, joint-master of both the Scarteen and the Duhallow Hounds, with Louth joint-master Edmond Mahony as ring steward.

Most of the joint-masters Joe Callan, Gerry Boylan and Eamonn McGinn were hunting, but Edmond Mahony and Kieran Ryan were to miss the fun. Former jockey Linzi Sullivan, who produces hunters and point-to-pointers with her husband John, was joined by Janet Reilly, immaculately turned out as usual. Also hunting were Michelle Larkin, Martin Mulligan, Siobhan Byrne, Paula Finnegan, Paula Egan, Elaine Little, Louise Boylan, Rob Kenny, Aidan Hand and wife Tricia, Leanne Connell, and Ann Lawson whose husband Stuart was following by jeep. Margaret McGrane and Amanda Larkin, whose husband John trains horses in nearby Dunany, were out, as was Marnie Callan, known for producing hunters and on the day riding yet another youngster.

Raymond Gogan, whose Listoke Art Gallery is a popular venue for exhibitions nearby, was not hunting for a change. His most recent venture is Listoke Distillery which produces many flavoured varieties of 1777 Listoke Gin and Ireland’s only Gin School. The product is now being marketed in the US. Following by jeep were John Cunningham, Brian Meegan, Michael Byrne and John Moran. Johnnie Leyland, whose farm adjoins Beaulieu, has retired his 27-year-old coloured horse that he hunted for 15 seasons.

The huntsman and his pack posed for photos on front of the impressive Beaulieu House. However, first he had to take the pack through the stable yard which had about 60 ducks wandering about it, but the pack were rock steady, well steady on ducks anyway! Overnight frost was welcome for a change from the mild weather we have been experiencing as some 40 followers made a stunning sight leaving along the main avenue of Beaulieu House, along Beaulieu’s main avenue.

HUNTING

The Louth Old English pack are one of the best known in these islands, and their huntsman, Alan Reilly, has transformed the pack since he took over, not alone as a hunting pack, but also winning some major classes over the years at the National Hound Show in Stradbally. At the most recent show, he won the Old English Unentered class, second in the Old English Restricted class, but also at the Northern Ireland Hound Show. He had his Stradbally champion Louth Racer hunting on the day.

With the huntsman’s father Patsy and Hughie McKeever in position, we were in for a treat as the huntsman drew the wood across from the main house, and the pack of 13½ couple were immediately on song running the first fox in the direction of the Irish Cement Plant near Drogheda where they marked him to ground. Hounds were taken back towards the lake as the huntsman suspected there was another fox in the area and he was right as the pack were on song yet again. They hunted in a circle around the wood before crossing the road into the wood beside the stable yard. The huntsman, on his smashing coloured hunter Paddy purchased from the Cleary family in Athlone, led the followers jumping in off the main road followed by his whipper-in John Sullivan on Blue that was sourced from show horse producer PJ Casey and David Gilsenan.

Next was Sullivan’s wife and former jockey Linzi who spent some time race riding in Pennsylvania and Maryland in the USA. She is in demand finding suitable hunters as I found out when I met some of her very satisfied customers when I was recently hunting in the UK. As the bank off the road became worn down, horse trainer John Larkin came to grief when his horse, which he borrowed from Michael Tuite, who used to hunt the Oriel Harriers, lost his hind footing. Marnie Callan stuck tight on her young horse and survived. Hounds were by now at the Beech Wood, where Aidan Hand on his grey hunter crossed in style but Janet Reilly, who acts as steward at the National Hound Show, seemed to be in temporary trouble at a ditch near sown ground, but recovered. Meanwhile the fox doubled back to the Decoy and ran towards Joe Leech’s farm in the direction of Baltray. He then turned in the direction of the Dundalk to the Termonfeckin road, and with hounds close, he found an earth short of the road.

After a quick breather, the huntsman drew the covert beside Baltray and had another customer on the run. He was delighted the way the pack hunted him in the thick cover and enjoyed the superb music. They pushed him out by the beech trees and Anthony Tuite spotted the fox crossing three grass fields as the pack broke cover. He headed for thick cover again opposite Baltray village where Noel Norris and Michael McAteer saw him slip away back over Joe Leech’s farm. He then circled left-handed back towards the beeches in Beaulieu and right-handed by the Old Pheasant Pen across Decoy heading back by the road near the house, and they marked him with tremendous voice.

The huntsman was not finished and finding yet again, this fox was running back towards the industrial estate near Drogheda so he decided to stop the pack and call it a day. The meet at Beaulieu turned out to be one of those hunting days that you don’t expect, but were really glad you were there to experience it.

HISTORY

The Louth Foxhounds were founded in the 19th century. Their hunt country stretches east to Dublin’s O’Connell Bridge. The Old English hounds are owned by Sarah Angel.

LOUTH FOXHOUNDS

Chairman: Stephen Gunne

Masters: Gerry Boylan, Joe Callan, Edmond Mahony, Eamonn McGinn and Kieran Ryan

Huntsman: Alan Reilly

Whippers-in: Oisin Duffy and John Sullivan

Honorary secretaries: Jane Angel and Mary Shirley