KILBRIN, that very special village somewhere between Liscarroll and Buttevant in the barony of Duhallow. Of course, Buttevant has a unique sporting history as it was where the very first steeplechase was run between the steeples of St John’s Church in Buttevant and St Mary’s in Doneraile, a distance of some four and a half miles and it is no coincidence that it is the very distance still run in the Grand National.

The year was 1752 and little could Edmund Blake and Cornelius O’Callaghan have imagined that their sporting challenge laid down as they hacked back from a meet of the Duhallow Foxhounds would give rise to the great sport of steeple chasing. The National Hunt connection doesn’t end there.

On the very first running of the Grand National in 1839, when Captain Martin Becher, who fell there from his mount Conrad, took refuge in the brook to avoid injury from on-coming horses and forever more lent his name to most famous fence in NH history - Becher’s Brook. The Becher family were one of the founding families of the Duhallow from their seat in Castle Magnier just a couple of miles from Kilbrin.

It was another Duhallow man that holds a unique place in Grand National history. I refer, of course, to Vincent O’Brien (MV), born and bred in Churchtown in the heart of Duhallow country, who won the great race three times in succession, with three different horses - Early Mist in 1953, Royal Tan in 1954 and Quare Times in 1955 - an achievement that seems never likely to be replicated.

As if all that wasn’t enough, senior master Matt Nagle, when he looks out his bedroom window every morning the first thing in his line of sight is St John’s Church, which is located in his front lawn. But it’s a new look for Duhallow with a complete change of hunt staff.

David Beecher, formerly first whipper-in to Fergus Stokes in Limerick, will carry the horn for the coming season. A fine horseman and even better houndman, he comes to Duhallow with a very strong reputation. His cousin Paul is one of the few Irishmen to win the uber-prestigious Hickstead Derby on the home-produced Loughnatousa WB.

A new addition to the whipper-ins is James Hawkins, who is from Cornwall, where he hunted with the Tiverton and is now in his first Duhallow season.

Social occasion

Like all good opening meets, it was a social occasion and an opportunity to catch up with old hunting friends and colleagues. Almost the first person we met was Kate Horgan, who has had a distinguished hunting career having been chairman of the IMFHA (Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association) and, perhaps more importantly, master in Duhallow from 1986 to 2008. She wasn’t the only former master on hand, as we had Maurice O’Connor (1996- 2004) with his wife Rosemary, who both rarely miss a day.

Like many country villages, sadly Kilbrin boasts of no functioning pub, but that hospitality deficit was more than negated by a Duhallow catering group led by new secretary Elaine Goold with incoming treasurer Diana Dennehy who, from a table at Kilbrin Cross, were able to provide every kind of refreshment that anyone could require to face the rigours of a day in Duhallow country.

David Beecher huntsman of Duhallow Foxhounds ready for his first season as new huntsman at the opening meet \ Catherine Power

The Goold family were well represented on the day with dad Dinny and children Jack (15), Christopher (14), Hannah (13) and Harvey (11). The Goold’s farm near Charleville and run one of the biggest dairy herds in the country. They weren’t the only family group, however, we also had the Palmers from Liscarroll - dad Alan a farrier, mum Elaine with Aaron and Katie all mounted and going well. David Kiely was also out with his father Roger as field master.

Joint master Matt Nagle from Buttevant, an eminent member of the legal profession from his office in Mallow, was out. He is also one of the moving forces behind a new hunt insurance scheme, where his legal expertise stands him in good stead. Missing was the other master, Joe DeCourcey, who, despite having very strong west Cork roots, is now based in the UK but expects to be out very shortly.

Former and current chairmen were both on hand. Pat Fleming, who steered the hunt through many a fray, had two grandchildren out - Siún (13) and Aine (12). Sadly, dad James of Awbeg Stud was missing on sales duty. The current chair is Patrick Coleman, whose father Dan was the legendary master and huntsman from 1986 to 1993 until he sadly died in office. The Coleman family are still very much involved and at the meet we also met former hunt secretary Col Pat Coleman (ret) and former but ever-remembered field master Maurice Coleman. Neither were mounted, but still closely involved in hunt affairs.

It was great to see Maria Withers out with her two children, Sarah and Jack, all beautifully mounted and going well. It was their dad Ger Withers, who hunted hounds with such distinction until he sadly lost his life in a hunt-related accident. Also out were the Geary family from Dromina with dad Mike on foot, but young jockeys Frankie (16) and Tom (15) all going well.

Tough jumping

Hospitality, no matter how good, can only last so long and, with a short but sweet note on the horn, the huntsman declared the season open. Hounds then made the short hack to Patrick Lynch’s stubble and on to his plantation.

First fence of the day was a slippery bank into John O’Donohue’s. For all the covert, it proved blank and our huntsman took his hounds on to Ned English’s where there were numerous good stiff fallen trees to be jumped. At this stage, several of the riders decided to take up beagling for a while before they were re-united with their horses.

Hounds drew on towards Greenhall and Jackie Field’s farm. Here, hounds found and a nice hunt ensued over some challenging banks and a really decent stream that had to be forded a really decent tributary of the Awbeg.

Eventually scent petered out and hounds drew on through Dan Lucey’s with some really challenging single banks. All the while we were kept in touch by former master Elizabeth Aherne, who knows the country like the back of her hand.

It was around here that farrier Alan Palmer was called on to replace a missing shoe. Hunt coat hanging on a nearby gate, he re-plated and horse and jockey were able to continue.

But shadows were lengthening and horses and jockeys had been on the go for over four hours and, as they came towards Lisgriffin, the huntsman blew the long, lingering call to end the day.

There was a decent distance back to Kilbrin, but it was a well satisfied field that made the hack back. The new huntsman and whipper-in have started well, with a cracking day in Boherbue to follow!