History

The earliest records of the Scarteen Black and Tan hounds and the Ryan family go back to 1640 shortly after the Flight of the Earls. Around 1820, Daniel O’Connell (The Liberator) disbanded his pack of Kerry Beagles and his hounds were sent to Scarteen, to augment the Scarteen Pack. The Ryans of Scarteen were closely related to the O’Connells of Caherdaniel. Present master Chris Ryan, who first carried the horn back in 1986, is the eighth generation of his family to have done so.

Officers

Chairman: Mr John Hourigan

Senior joint master: Chris Ryan

Joint masters: Shane Breen, Roger Dungworth, Mairead English, Jake Murphy, Bill Hanly, Mary Curtis, Shane Hanafin

Field master: Val O’Connell,

Hon secretary: Richie Bourke, Marian Daly

Treasurers: Mr Richard Stapleton

Huntsman: Jamie Cross, Hughie Ryan

Whippers-in: Frisk Jones, Michael Ryan, Harry Clohessy

Hughie Ryan takes the horn for this season. Scott Ryan (9), son of huntsman Hughie Ryan, Frisk Jones, Harry Clohessy, Hughie, Richie Bourke and Olympian Michael Ryan at Scarteen gates on the way to the first draw at Knocklong \ Catherine Power

IT’S that time of the year again. We are in the midst of opening meets but for us - and we must declare an interest - the one that is top of the list must be the Scarteen Hunt (Black and Tans). We both have hunted with the pack since our First Holy Communion. While personnel and much else may change, the magic goes on.

It was a scene that has been replicated almost without a break on this very day since the Flight of the Earls and the end of a Gaelic culture and civilisation around 1640. Then was an era when many of the large land owning families, as a result of persecution at home, decamped to France where some became known as the ‘Wine Geese’ entering the wine trade giving us such families as the Hennessys of Cognac (brandy) fame who originated from Duhallow country near Mallow.

However, the Ryans of Scarteen chose the better part and remained faithful to their pack of hounds and Chris is the eighth generation to carry the horn. Sadly, ill health prevents him from continuing in the historic role but, gladly, he has had a marvellous recovery and was very much in hand for the opening meet, much of what was hunted on the ancestral acres of Scarteen where hounds are kennelled.

Worryingly, last season’s huntsman Jamie Cross is himself laid low from a horse related injury and is a patient in Cork University Hospital. I’m sure all hunt supporters will join with me in wishing him a speedy and full recovery. Our thoughts and good wishes are very much with him and his partner, Selina Braddish.

Another addition to team Scarteen is a new joint master in Shane Hanafin who hunted on the opening meet with his daughter Saoirse, a very able show jumper. Two new honorary secretaries, Richie Bourke and Marian Daly, have also joined the team in the absence of Martin McGrath who is on peace keeping duties in the Lebanon. The traditional blessing of hounds took place on the previous morning as padre had other ecclesiastical duties on meet morning.

For all that, it was a gala occasion on Tuesday morning in preparation for the short hack to Knocklong village. There were no less than five joint masters present as well as senior master, the legend that is Chris Ryan, with his son Tadhg who is really making a name for himself as an international commentator worldwide.

In addition, mounted and ready for the day were joint masters Mairead English, Mary Curtis from Meath with her daughter Mary, Jake Murphy, Shane Hanafin and international show jumper Shane Breen from Hickstead out with his wife Chloe (Bunn), son Dougie, and sister Rowena who hunts with the Louth. Dougie, now 13, was due to jump in the FEI Jumping Ponies’ Trophy at the World Cup in Stuttgart this weekend on his sister Darcy’s pony, One Sahara.

Season open

Well in advance of the appointed hour, huntsman Hughie Ryan enlarged 11 and a half couple of hounds which were a credit to the team in kennels - Paul Collins and Mike McCarthy; they had hounds in what was absolutely show condition for the day and the season ahead.

With perhaps 10 or 12 mounted, hounds made the short hack to Knocklong where the field of 60 and a gathering of foot followers awaited. A stirrup cup was provided by the Hill Bar and D.P. Bowler, who had hunted with Scarteen for many, many seasons, ensured that everyone was suitably refreshed.

This was followed by a few words of welcome and thanks to the land owners who make it all possible from Jake Murphy who was out with his better half Triona, a former hunt secretary and a very efficient one at that.

On the dot of 11am Hughie, with a short note on the horn, declared the day and season open. In theory, all Scarteen hunt staff are amateur which tells its own story. Amateur comes from the Latin word Amo which means ‘I love’. This is the essence of amateurs who do what they do for love of the sport rather than financial reward. They perform their role with of determined efficiency that would not be found wanting in high Leicestershire.

Turning hounds to Hughie are his brother Michael who based in Bandon, Co Cork from where both he and his wife Trish have represented their country in Olympic eventing; Frisk Jones from the sales-topping Ballyhimikin Stud in Nenagh; and young Harry Clohessy, son of Peter ‘The Claw’ Clohessy, make up the team.

First draw was on what is known as the Creamery Farm, much of which is now planted. Hounds spoke almost immediately but scent petered out and hounds crossed the road to draw Sir Roy Walker’s which didn’t have a resident on the day.

Nine-year-old Scott Ryan at his first opening meet with the Scarteen Hunt \ Catherine Power

A grand dash

But the best was still to come. They crossed the main road into the Coffey’s and the back of Scarteen. There was a brace in Finn’s (all part of Scarteen) and it was first season hounds, litter sisters June and July, who remained loyal to the hunted fox. A grand dash ensued every bank and it is only banks but all at 5* level”

Chloe Breen said: “We couldn’t have had a more perfect day. On our team were Shane (of course), young Dougie, my best friend Aubrey Fletcher who is a criminal barrister and her daughter Dora (13) and Kate Brooks.” Making up team Breen was Michael Condon from Wexford who provided many of the horses and anything out of his yard is always foot-perfect. There to see them through was Jason Furlong of Scarteen who is known to be a top class cross-country rider.

As they made their way through Scarteen, it was pretty well flat out and on to the farm roadway near the dairy ditch jumping with dash and style were particularly the juniors with Hughie’s son Scott (9) cantering at it and foot-perfect. Two other juniors, coincidentally both called Tommy - Jones and O’Halloran - also aged nine, jumped it with style and dash as did sisters Lily and Mia Jones with their mum Helen from Ballyhimikin not too far behind.

Visiting from West Waterford but now something of a regular was Terry Sloan who is a lead nutritionist with US firm Agri King, well known to many of our leading dairy farmers.

Our pilot eventually found refuge in an unknown shore and was given best. Also on hand was Sue Ryan to see hounds through and Michael Ryan from Wicklow.

Monumental bank

Hounds drew on the back of Sonia Purcell’s and found and another good run ensued, most of it in Scarteen. Back in action was Oliver Ryan-Purcell who, until recently, was master and huntsman of the Ormond and he was flying all day.

With shadows lengthening and with a diminished field, Hughie drew across the road near Castle Jane graveyard. It didn’t disappoint and third season dog Sanagster threw his tongue and a fine dog fox was afoot. He was viewed away by the ever vigilant Frisk who gave a ‘hooloa’ that could have awoken the long dead in Castle Jane.

They hunted on through Mike McCarthy’s and shortly were faced with a monumental bank. Many were called but few were chosen and eventually the only ones to get away with hounds were Hughie, Frisk, Val and Shane. Michael, who would normally be part of this elite, was back collecting hounds. For all that having crossed the Garryspillane road, our pilot was marked and given best.

All in all, it was a real proper red-letter day and hopefully a portent for the season ahead.