WE always look forward to our annual visit to the North Kilkennys, who hunt a country centred on Gatabawn near Urlingford in north Kilkenny. Despite being a red coat hunt, they have remained true to their farming roots, having been founded back in the day by the local curate, Fr Kearns, a man as pious as he was sporting.

When the country looked as if it would go unhunted, he persuaded three local farming families to take up the reins and run the hunt. That is some 80 years ago and, happily, the hunt continues with the same families still to the fore.

Senior joint master since 2002 is Billy Healy, a nephew of Jack Murphy, who was a founding master of the present day hunt. The Murphys are still very much to the fore, with Brian Murphy having joined the mastership in 2022 and hunting on the day. In addition, the Murphys host the annual hunt point-to-point, which is held in mid-March. As well as providing an opportunity for members to give a horse they might be bringing on a run, it is very useful in helping to fund the hunt for the coming season. The apple falls near the tree, or so they say, and Robert Healy, Billy’s son, is the very hard-working point-to-point secretary.

Sadly, he wasn’t hunting on the day as he is recovering from injury, but his sister Jennifer, who works in the lab of the Irish Equine Centre, certainly was out and going well all day. Jennifer is following the Healy sporting tradition, as she is a keen polo player in Bishopslands Polo club run by Paddy Quinlan.

Lawn meet

The lawn meet on the day was at Billy’s home near Ballyragget, and generous refreshments were there for all in the tack room provided by Esther, Billy’s wife. Billy is also very involved in hunt affairs nationally, being Vice Chairman of the Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association.

Almost the first person met on arrival was hunt chairman Mal Tynan, who has been a major player in hunt affairs since I attended my first North Kilkenny meet at Dunmore Caves almost 20 seasons ago. Also making up the welcome party was hunt secretary Michael P Maher, who farms near Freshford. He has been honorary secretary for as long as anyone can remember and brings a quiet efficiency tinged with diplomacy to his role. It is back room officials such as he who keep hunts functioning smoothly around the country. While he hasn’t sat up for a couple of seasons, I remember him crossing the country with style and dash. His dad also turned up at the meet, having lost none of his enthusiasm for hunting.

https://foto.ifj.ie/fotoweb/archives/5006-Irish-Horse-World/Irish%20Horse%20World/NK%20V.jpg.info#c=%2Ffotoweb%2Farchives%2F5006-Irish-Horse-World%2F%3Fq%3Dmal%2520tynan

Chairman Mal Tynan and Seamus Walsh having a great day with the North Kilkenny Foxhounds \Catherine Power

Huntsman and master is Noel Rafter, and he and his wife Tania run a great show. She is a really top-class cross-country rider, having been trained back in the day at Jim Bolger’s yard. She and Noel got married during the off season, and the horse’s and Noel’s turn out would not look out of place in high Leicestershire. Noel works in the off season with agricultural contractors, which gives him a unique connection with the local farming community.

Likewise, the two amateur whippers-in, the O’Neill brothers Tom and Michael, are amateur only in name as they bring a quiet professionalism to their role. They have a blacktype hunting pedigree, as their dad Tommy is a keen fox hunter, as is their brother James.

Another well-known follower is hunting strategist James Norton, who lives nearby and is a former senior executive in the health insurance industry.

Blacktype pedigrees

Hounds moved off to their first draw just down the main Ballyragget road, where we met former National Hunt jockey Brian O’Connell, who runs a racing prep yard near Kilkenny city. He was escorting his two children, Kim (11) and Jack, a veteran already at eight. Among Brian’s 43 winners as an amateur rider was a Cheltenham Festival bumper success on Philip Fenton’s Dunguib in March 2009. His first success as a professional came when he won the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle on the same horse at Fairyhouse on December 2nd of the same year. He notched up his 200th career success when he won the Boolavogue Handicap Chase at Wexford on June 21st, 2017.

Brian comes with a blacktype racing pedigree, as his dad is former inspector of courses, Val O’Connell, himself a very useful National Hunt jockey who came third in the Grand National on the Andrew Mac trained Yer Man back in 1983. He is now better known as the hard-riding field master of the Scarteen Black and Tans.

The first draw was in McEvoy’s, where hounds quickly found and ran on to Ned Campion’s, where they had some great jumping. At this stage, a late arrival was local padre Fr Willie, whose delay had to be excused due to his Sunday mass duties. He is obviously following in the footsteps of the hunt’s founder, the famed Fr Kearns. A padre is now something of a rarity in the hunting field and, at a guess, I would say Fr Willie must be one of the last in Ireland.

Hounds then hunted a big loop with some great jumping over James Brennan’s ditches, before running on to Mrs Downey’s. There the scent petered out and they drew on through Sherman’s forestry and Phelan’s Hill. Going well throughout was Deirdre Rafter, sister of our master and huntsman, Noel. She is a real stylist in the saddle and is first class at bringing on a young horse. They had a nice hunt and marked Reynard to ground.

They then pressed on to Conahy church, located at a cross roads. Here we met Liam Murphy MFH and his wife Breda, a former nurse, who kept us up with the action. Hounds found in a small covert adjacent to the church and hunted on past the graveyard, and a nice dash ensued.

However, with lengthening shadows and horses having plenty done, eventually the master blew the sweetest note of the day, the long, lingering ‘Going Home’.

Little remained but a return to Billy’s tack room to finish off the hunt breakfast. Hunting is in good heart in North Kilkenny.