THE comprehensive work of the late author, journalist and poet Stanislaus Lynch, In Search of the Kerry Beagle, received much praise at its launch at the National Hound Show at Stradbally last weekend.

Editor of The Irish Field, Leo Powell, officially launched the book at Stradbally on behalf of its editor and contributor Noel Mullins into whose care Margaret Lynch entrusted the unfinished work of her late husband who passed away in 1983.

A native of Co Cavan, Stanislaus Lynch wrote six books and was an expert in rural country affairs including the value of tourism and hunting to Ireland.

He was awarded the Saint Hubert Gold Medal for his services to the literature of the chase by the Grand Chapter of the International Order of Saint Hubert and contributed to many publications around the world including both The Irish Field and The Irish Horse.

His works have been translated into 10 languages in 16 countries. Lynch retired from writing in the 1960s to concentrate on breeding and producing Irish Draughts and Connemara Ponies.

Noel Mullins put together this last work of Lynch’s on the Kerry Beagle after being asked to do so by Margaret who had safely kept all her husband’s research and papers on the subject.

Apologising that it took him 12 years to do it, Noel Mullins described the new book as “a fascinating read”, penned by the only Irish writer to be awarded two Olympic Diplomas for Literature, at the London Games (1948) and Helsinki (1952).

The book tells the wonderful story of Lynch’s travels around Ireland in a quest to discover the origins of one of Ireland’s native breeds of hounds, the Kerry Beagle.

The foreword to this compulsive read for hunting enthusiasts everywhere was very fittingly penned by Chris Ryan of the Scarteens who have hunted a pack of the famous black and tan hounds for over 400 years. The story gets even more interesting as their cousin, the great Liberator Daniel O’Connell, hunted his own pack of Kerry Beagles.

In Search of the Kerry Beagle is available to order from www.noelmullins.com or email noelmullins@hotmail.com