History

The hunt was formed in 1894 and it was reported that a deer was hunted through the city, across the River Shannon. Meets on Saturday and Wednesday at 11am. Visitors welcome by arrangement.

Some former Masters include: P McDonough 1914-23, Malcolm Shaw 1914-40, Michael O’Brien-Kelly 1950-51, Harry Russell 1953-60, Desmond Hodgins MRCVS 1960-64, John Power 1964-66, Ml Walshe 1966-73, Davy O’Meara 1975-89, Gerry Gleeson 1974-98, John McNamara Croom 1980-2000

Hunt details

Chairman: John McNamara

Vice Chairman: Pat Bermingham

Joint Masters: John McNamara, Michael Mullane, Gary McCarthy, Sean O’Donovan

Honorary secretary: Marie Wheeler

Point-to-point and hunter trials secretary: Marie Wheeler

Treasurer: Christopher McNamara

Field Masters: Michael Mullane, Sean Smith

Huntsman: Finbar Fehin

Whippers-in: Gerry Murphy, Dessie Lenihan, Dominic Furnell, Brian Fox

Kennel Huntsman: Brian O’Leary

Country hunted: Co Limerick, west of the Limerick/Kilmallock road

THERE could be few more appropriate venues than that chosen by the Limerick Harriers last Saturday, as it was Kirby’s Hunting Lodge hostelry some eight miles from Limerick City on the Bruff/Kilmallock road. Even better, from our point of view, as it is our local and no more than a mile from home.

As we arrived, the lounge was humming with boots and yellow waistcoats and a large group of supporters, car followers and other hangers-on. Almost the first person we met was the inimitable Aidan O’Connell, Suntan himself, out as escort and friend to three German visitors from the famed Lower Saxony Hunt from Dorfmark - polo player Wolfgang Kailing and two ladies, Anja and Mechthild.

The hunt has a new huntsman since last season on the retirement of Padraig Behan, who stepped down for family reasons. The baton has now been passed to a worthy successor, Finbar Fehin, from Liscarroll in Duhallow country.

He comes with a strong CV, having hunted the Liscarroll Harriers on foot every Sunday, as well as having been amateur whipper-in to Ger Withers in Duhallow. From a farming family, he is an AI man to many of the leading dairy herds in North Cork. As if that wasn’t enough, he recently married Jane O’Flynn, former honorary secretary to Duhallow, a dedicated fox hunter and from a family steeped in hunting, being the daughter of John O’Flynn, who runs a car dealership and who was hunting on the day. Sadly, Jane wasn’t out, as she has a young family to look after, but family support was on hand as Finbar’s brother Brian, who lives in Freemount, was also out and going well all day.

Clearly Finbar’s CV ticks a lot of boxes and his whippers-in are no less distinguished. Gerry Murphy and Dessie Lenihan, always well mounted, bring years of experience to their task, while Dominic Furnell from Ballycahane has the distinction of having ridden round the five-star event at Badminton on the home-bred and produced Ballycahane Flower Power in 2014. A new recruit to the ranks of whippers-in is Brian Fox from Garryspillane, who also hunts with the Scarteen.

Hospitable haven

The Hunting Lodge was a hospitable haven, but we were there to hunt. With just a slight delay on account of sub-zero temperatures, the saddling bell was sounded and the 50 or so mounted up as hounds went to their first draw just off the Ballyneety road on Nolan’s farm.

Hounds found in Clifford’s quarry and Reynard was halloaed away by the ever-vigilant Christopher McNamara, who was area manager for the day. The McNamaras are a real hunting family, with dad John now senior master and hunt chairman, but sadly stepped down from the saddle for a couple of seasons. However, daughter Danielle, wife of whipper-in Dessie Lenihan, was out, and was, as always, beautifully turned out and a real stylist in the saddle. She and Dessie run a high-class hunting yard from their base near Ballingarry, and produce a stream of much sought-after high-class hunters. Eventually, after some challenging jumping, he was marked to ground and given best.

Warm welcome

Hounds then crossed the Fedamore road to draw Hannon’s farm, where a warm welcome is assured. While none of the family are currently hunting, John and Audrey, who hunted for many years with both the Counties and Harriers, were there, as was son Conor, who hunted up until recently. Conor is now studying mechanical engineering, and the family have enough farm machinery to keep him busy without ever leaving home.

Of the joint masters, there were but two mounted. Michael Mullane from Bruree was out with his wife Linda, son TJ and daughter Sophie, who is an engineer. Also out was Sean O’Donovan from Greenhills, whose family have a lifetime association with the hunt. Going really well were Lizzie Stapelton from Ballycahane and her daughter Izzy, both of whom were flying all day.

Washing off after a great day with the Limerick Harriers were Lizzy Stapleton, Kate Clohessy and Katie Murphy \ Catherine Power

Flying along

We also had Mike Clohessy out with his daughter Katie, who were flying all day. Another family was field master Sean Smith, out with his wife Nicola, who only started hunting this season. Another family group were Johnny Moroney, out with his daughter Maggie. Local dairy farmer Jim Foster was out with his two children, Cathal, 12, and Sean, a veteran at 10.

In Hannon’s, they met a really decent bank with a mini canal to the rear. Finbar, now getting used to the famed Limerick banks, gave a great display, as did many of the Cork visitors. The visitors were led by Corrine Hyde from Watergrasshill, who is a Limerick regular. A daughter of the distinguished veterinarian John Hyde, with strong links to Ballymaloe, she travels with a group, which includes Cork architect Mick Manning, Joe Lucy, a dairy farmer from Ovens, and Sarah McCarthy. The latter two also hunt back at home with the Muskerry. These Cork visitors have come to love the challenge of the Limerick banks, which are not to be found in their part of Cork.

Also going well on her lovely bay was Ide McCarthy from Fedamore. Bringing on a young horse was apprentice electrician Stephen Donovan who was going well. Another combination going well was Aoife Toohill on a lovely grey, who gave a great display over the big bank.

Pressing on

Hounds pressed on across a really decent board of works trench into McNamara’s, which is as close as you can get to a sure find. As hounds drew at the semi-mature plantation, it was the harrier Roco, which Finbar had brought with him from Liscarroll, who took an interest in a particularly strong thorny thicket. Like the penny in the slot, as Roco went in one side out popped a fine dog fox at the other and, with the pack rallying to him, hounds were away crossing the road into Flavin’s, which has a couple of dense coverts.

However, hounds pressed him on past the ruin of Grange House, last lived in by the Crokers, and crossed the main road into Barry’s former farm, which now has a significant amount of semi-mature plantation. Here, the field were treated to a full recital by the Limerick orchestra in full voice, until our pilot decided to move on and crossed Ryan’s farm onto Power’s farm, where they met some really decent banks and, with a few taking up beagling for a while, he crossed the Herberstown road and ran for Ballybricken covert.

A couple of fields short of the covert in an old-fashioned bank, he found a formerly unknown earth and refuge. Hounds marked and moved on towards Longford Bridge and the ever-hospitable Swan’s hostelry, but being well out to their intended draw and with the evening drawing in, the sweetest note of the day was blown, as Finbar sounded the going home.

Little was left but to wash off in the Camoge river right beside Longford bridge, where whipper-in Dominic Furnell, ever a gentleman, raised his hat to the photographer to say good night!