IT is great to be back hunting. The salad days of summer are all very well but what can compare with a hunting morning on a good horse?

My first meet this season was with the ‘Gallant Tipps’ at their traditional opening meet in a town that is synonymous with the horse, Fethard, in south Tipperary.

Basking in spring-like weather, Fethard was en fete and was awash with horses, hounds and onlookers. The Tipperary Foxhounds hunt four days a week and their claim to being Ireland’s premier pack would be hard to argue with.

It was a spectacular sight to see hounds and hunt staff assemble with almost 90 mounted followers between the town walls and the river, strategically close to McCarthy’s hostelry, who generously provided refreshments.

All of the joint-masters, with the exception of Tim Hyde, who was on bloodstock duty in America, were present, well-mounted and turned out accordingly. My companion, young Bill Hanly, and I were made exceptionally welcome.

Standing out among the fairer sex was well-represented but standing out was Jacqui Freyne, wife of second season joint-master Lt Col Tom Freyne, officer commanding of the Army Equitation School. Beautifully mounted side saddle on a grey Connemara who had been hunted by her late mother, Jacqui looked a picture. She is a daughter of Dr Paddy Stokes the second generation of dispensary doctors to practice in Fethard and a great hunting and racing man.

Liam Kearney, who gave me many a good lead last season with the Limerick Foxhounds on his good grey, was out with his young daughter Tessa (11). There were no fewer than four members of the Quirke family out to give a lead and keep an eye on their father Frank Quirke, one of Ireland’s leading barristers. Another family fully represented were Edward and Maria O’Grady with their two daughters Mimi and Rosie Maye.

Equestrian artist Liam Clancy sported a magnificent topper which was still in its original shape at the end of the day. Liam has just completed the illustrations for Baily’s new hunting directory.

Once hounds were blessed by the local padre and a few words issued by senior joint-master Paul Ronan, we felt confident to face the rigors of crossing Tipperary country. The Ronan family was well represented with son Paul, who works in the meat business in Scotland, and daughters Jennifer and Kim mounted.

Another veteran without whom an opening meet would not be complete was Michael Higgins, who carried the horn in with great distinction in Tipperary for over 20 seasons and never missed a hunting day while in office.

Ronan’s parents, Tom and Dorothy, are now in their 90s and the lifelong foxhunters were out on foot and looking great.

Hounds hacked on to the North Gate, part of the fortified walls of Ireland’s last surviving walled town. The first draw was in some low lying covert just to the left of the road. We didn’t have long to wait before hounds spoke and it was a thrill to hear young Gavin Shorten (22), in his second season as huntsman, sounding ‘gone away’ as hounds crossed the road and ran towards John Halley’s stud farm.

Shorten, a native of Askeaton, was assisted by first whipper-in Padhraic Moyihan from Kerry and Seamus Kelly from Ballingarry. They make a strong team and it would be hard to find a more knowledgeable or enthusiastic whipper-in than Seamus who overcomes his condition of Cystic Fibrosis (see Pony Tales, A72).

Sadly John Halley, who is senior master of the Limericks, was not at home as he was on veterinary duty with the Ballydoyle runners at the Breeders Cup. However the family was represented by David (MRCVS), who is in the practice, and daughter Carly.

The honour of being the first faller of the season goes to Aidan Kennedy, who was dragged off by a branch jumping off the road only to be quickly followed by hunt chairman Connie O’Brien, who got a really nasty fall on the flat and cracked his head off a stone on the ground. He was taken away by ambulance but, happily, is making good progress in hospital.

We hunted right through Rocklow, the Ronan family home where we were treated to a series of hunt jumps. Not found wanting was point-to-point secretary Ber Bourke on her good chesnut cob Dolly, who scorched over them all.

I got the opportunity to chat to joint-master Andre Mchalski, now in his second season, who comes originally from Poland but through horses and hunting now lives in the premier county. Another joint-master out was Marion Goodbody, whose family hail from Fethard and whose father hunted the Tipps for many seasons.

She now lives in Newmarket where she is involved in bloodstock as part of the Castlebridge Consignment operation. This was founded by fellow Tipperary man Bill Dwan, a keen hunting man and son of the late Jack Dwan, who hunted every day God gave. Castlebridge are the biggest specialist consignors of bloodstock in Europe.

We drew on through Annsgift, a fabulous estate running to over 600 acres and soon to be the home of MV Magnier and his new wife. Bordering Annsgift is Heffernan’s Wood, which runs for a couple of miles and is bordered at the far side by Tom Hayes’ farm but separated by what must be the biggest double in Fethard.

We crossed this several times and each crossing claimed new victims. I was behind young Paulo as he attempted to make the ascent, only to lose altitude halfway in what he described as a “strategic dismount” but in racing terms would be abbreviated as ‘UR’.

With scent never better than testing, hounds and staff made the best of it, they found and ran towards sand pits only again to face the famous double. This time it involved jumping a yawner between two mighty oaks with just enough width not to leave riders’ boots behind. Between tree roots and dry weather, this bank was as shiny as the bonnet of a new Mercedes. My companion Hanly and his new horse gave a textbook display, as did the O’Mara family, racehorse trainer Thomond, wife Roisin and young Niall aged 11.

Things started to go seriously downhill after that and just as my turn was coming and I was trying remember if my VHI was up to date, a good Samaritan appeared to open the wire nearby and give access to a much more jumpable spot.

Hounds drew on towards Power’s wood, found, and ran back towards Annsgift with a nice bit of jumping. However shadows were lengthening and huntsman very reluctantly blew for home and we hacked back to Fethard and the hospitality of McCarthy’s pub.

FACTFILE

Chairman: Con O’Brien

Joint-masters: Paul Ronan, Tim Hyde, Marion Goodbody, Liam Kearney, Andre Mchalski , Comdt Tom Freyne

Honorary secretary: Erica O’Brien

Huntsman: Gavin Shorten

Whippers-in: Padhraic Moynihan, Seamus Kelly (amateur)

HISTORY

Founded about 1820, the pack was originally known as the Grove Foxhounds, from where they were hunted by William Barton of wine fame. They were then taken on by Marquess of Waterford, who hunted them for several seasons. In more recent times they were hunted by Evan Williams, who won the Grand National on Royal Mail, followed by Michael Higgins for over 20 seasons and who was out on opening meet, and Derry Donegan.