Hunt details

Kennels: Clonshire, Adare

Chairman: Belinda Johnston

Masters: Emma Thompson, Niall Foley, Tom Schreck

Honorary and P-to-P secretary: Dee Hogan

Hunter trial secretary: Sue Foley

Huntsman: Fergus Stokes

Whipper-in: Mr Peter Kiely

Field master: Timmy O’Connell and Damien Stokes

Country hunted: Co Limerick, the biggest and best of banks country from around Dromin and Athlacca, and walls in the Wednesday country around Askeaton and Ballysteen

Brief History

In or around 1828 or 1830, Mr Croker of Ballinagarde started a scratch pack of foxhounds, with Geo Fosberry as Master. Mr Fosberry held office till his death in about 1845, when a committee of three took over.

Some former masters include: John Gubbins (1881-86), Nigel Baring (Barings bank) (1908-22), Lady Helen McCalmont (1933-36), Lord Daresbury (1946-90), The Earl of Harrington (1972-93), Al Schreck (1990-97), Lady Melissa Brooke (1977-97), Paul Kennedy (2005- 2009), Kate Jarvey (1999-2001), M Hoare (1997-2001) (died in office).

SOME would say the best should be kept to last and so it was for the season finale of the Co Limerick Foxhounds.

Unlike last week, when we made the distant journey to Co Kilkenny, this week’s meet was nearby, by kind invitation of hunt secretary Deirdre Hogan at her home and farm, near historic Lough Gur. As we arrived, catering was in full swing with kitchen being manned by Dee herself and Ann Marie and Adrienne as chief assistants.

As always, it all fell into place, as Fergus and his 17 and a half couple of Old English Foxhounds arrived. Fergus likes to hunt a big pack and, with almost 20 couple of young entry annually, he is not likely to run short.

His whipper-in this season is young Peter Kiely, who learned his trade while still in short pants with the Duhallow, where his dad Roger is the very able field master. On the day and after a long and demanding season, hunt horses were at a premium, with Fergus riding one of Timmy O’Connell’s millionaire hunters. Likewise, young Peter had also borrowed, and was on Eleanor Foley’s foot-perfect coloured. I would like to take this opportunity to wish Eleanor a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her back in the hunting field sooner rather than later.

We had but one joint master out, Emma Thompson, who with her cousin, Lord Waterford, is also a major player on the IMFHA committee. While she currently lives in the UK, she is Limerick born and bred, her mother - the late Lady Melissa Brooke of Glenbevan Stud - being a former master for 20 seasons (1977-’97). The other two masters were sadly missing - Niall Foley from Cork and Tom Schreck from the US.

Field master on the day was the huntsman’s brother, Damien Stokes, from Tullylease in Duhallow country. Also on hand was Dr Fiona O’Meara, who is Fergus’ better half. With a very good page indeed, Fiona comes from Duhallow where her family, mainly in the legal profession, have more or less run the hunt for generations. Fergus has now carried the horn for 15 seasons, having joined the hunt as whipper-in to Graham Bustin, who went on to hunt the Blue Ridge in Virginia. A farrier by trade, he had formerly been amateur whipper-in to Ger Withers in Duhallow.

Great Gathering

There was a great gathering in Deirdre’s, with hunt chair Belinda Johnston on hand with a few words of welcome for all. The faithful were there, of course, including Timmy and Adrienne O’Connell. Timmy is the farrier to the stars, keeping the Martinstown horses shod. He must have shod as many Cheltenham winners as any farrier ever. Himself and Adrienne rarely miss a red letter day with both Scarteen and Co Limerick. Timmy wasn’t the only farrier on the day, as we also had Rory Brennan, who is out almost as much as Timmy. Rory wasn’t the only Brennan on the day either, as Mark Brennan from Athlacca, whose farm hosted the Co Limerick point-to-point for many years, was out too.

In her day, Mark’s mother Jean on her good cob was the person to follow - if you were up to it.

The younger generation were well represented, with the Power’s from Bruree, young JJ and Grace, on two cracking ponies. Another family out and going well were the Buckleys, Emma and Martha, whose granddad Michael hunted the Limerick Harriers for over 30 seasons. Also out, and as always going well, was Jack McNamara, who has a very good page as son of Aengus, one of the great producers of quality hunters, and grandson of John, a former master of the Limerick Harriers. He has inherited all the family style and dash and is an outstanding cross-country rider.

First draw

With a short note on the horn, Fergus and hounds moved off to their first draw nearby on McCormac’s hill. The furze held a fine dog fox, who was viewed away by young Peter, but sadly it was only for a few fields before he found a welcoming shore and was given best.

Going well all day were the Kelly sisters. Seánna, who is studying law and accounting in UL, and young Kaytlyn, who is still in school in Copeswood College, Pallaskenry. The family have just returned from a hunting trip to the UK, where they had a cracking day with the Pytchley, among others.

Hounds drew on towards Ollie Hartigan’s extensive dairy farm near the Honey Fitz theatre. The Hartigans are a real hunting family and Ollie was out with his wife Helen. For all that, his hill didn’t hold and they drew on through Seamus Murnane’s before ending up near Lough Gur itself, where the field were guests of former master, Olivia Hoare. Olivia was master with her late husband Michael Hoare back in the millennium. Apart from hunting, Olivia is recognised as a sinologist, having written a couple of books on Mao’s China.

Lough Gur, it is said, has been inhabited since Megalithic times - since 2000 BC - making it one of the oldest sites in Europe. For all that, foxes were scarce but the eagle-eyed Paul Kennedy from Cartown holloaed a fine dog fox away. Paul’s late dad, also Paul, was a former Limerick MFH. With marvellous hound music, Reynard took the field on a free guided tour of scenic Lough Gur, as far over as Grange church before returning and finding a welcoming shore near Willie Weeks’ farm yard.

Hounds then hacked on by our local, the now sadly closed Hamlet pub. Their next draw was on hand in Foley’s farm and plantation. It held and, with the Limerick philharmonic in full voice, those still there on foot or mounted had plenty to listen to.

Eventually, Reynard decided discretion was the better part of valour and ran through our neighbour Tom Ryan’s farm before coming to our plantation, where the field got some challenging bank jumping before scent petered out.

The day and the season were almost over, and Fergus eventually blew the long lingering note to call it a day.

While the day and the season were over, they weren’t quite done, as our photographer had a hunt tea for those whose travel arrangements allowed. With every spare stable pressed into service, it was a jolly occasion in our kitchen for hunt tea. Sadly, there wasn’t an awful lot of tea drank, but the season was well recalled and feats of valour and venery re-lived.

Catherine and I would like to thank all those who made us so welcome during the season and long may hunting continue to prosper.