LAST Saturday saw us make a return to the Laois Foxhounds having seen them only recently on their annual trip south to the Stonehall Harriers. Many of the same people were there, with numerous others thrown in, especially huntsman Michael Comerford and the famed Old English Laois Foxhounds.

It is now many seasons past - when Rory Dicker carried the horn - since I had my first days with Laois and Dicker between ’78 and ’81. While many things have changed in the intervening seasons, what has remained constant is the welcome and the sheer enjoyment of hunting with the Laois in the very centre of Ireland. Another constant is senior master David Lalor, who has been in office almost since Laois was known as Queen’s County. For all that, well mounted he still crosses the country with dash and style. He is following in a family tradition; both his dad Harry (1964-74) and uncle Des (1982-91) were former masters. His joint master Marcus McLaughlin was missing due to pressure of business, but chairman Ray Shore was out, properly mounted and going well.

Michael Comerford has now carried the horn for almost 10 seasons, having formerly hunted the nearby Golden Vale in North Tipperary.

A red coat hunt, the hunt looked well with an immaculate turnout. Likewise, Michael hunts a lovely pack of well-chosen Old English with 11 and a half couple on the day.

His whippers-in are all amateur in name, but very professional in the field. Sadly sidelined was Oisin Kelly, son of honorary secretary Jim Kelly, a builder from Roseanallis. Oisin was on two legs instead of four, as he is recovering from a nasty rotational fall. However, he hopes to be back in the saddle well before the end of the season (he has youth and enthusiasm on his side). The Laois hunt right into next month and are carded up to March 11th.

The other whippers-in are Shay Barry and polo player young Jock Thompson. The line-up is completed by the veteran Colm Gainey on his foot-perfect coloured. Colm, a farrier, spent a career shoeing in the Curragh for such iconic trainers as Charlie Weld.

Line-up

So it was a stellar line-up that gathered in Lionel Foot’s cattle yard, where as ever he was in his usual role acting as Laois bar man, dispensing all kinds of good things to those who were there to take part. From our day in Stonehall, it was great to meet Louise Thompson again, always a bye word for turnout and goes accordingly and co-incidentally is a retired teacher.

Also on the radar was Peter Tyrell, who has never gained a pound since his point-to-point days. From a strong veterinary background, he is an accountant but has never lost his enthusiasm for the chase.

We were the guests of the Foot family, former hunt chairman Lionel, his brother Robin and wife Orla and mother Phylis. The Foots came to Scotchrath after the American Civil war, where their great-grandfather Fredrick came to Laois from Tinakilly House in Wicklow. His son Harold, having inherited his father’s spirit of adventure, went to South Africa to fight in the second Boer war. As a reminder of the family’s military background, the hall door is protected by a sheet of boiler plate, making it bulletproof. Having survived the Siege of Mafeking with Baden-Powell, Harold wasn’t going to be taken out by a stray sniper’s bullet. The farm is now being run as a productive dairy farm. Lionel, in his younger days, hunted with the Laois and was taught to ride by Roberta Dowley while a student at Kilkenny College.

First draw

Photos taken, hounds moved off to their first draw and it wasn’t long before hounds spoke. However, scent was never more than fair and, with Reynard long gone, hounds couldn’t make much of it.

For all that, hounds drew on around the extensive acres of Scotchrath, with some smashing jumping. Giving a good lead was huntsman Michael Comerford on a real good sort, a bay by Ricardo Z originally produced by Pat Codd in Wexford. The huntsman thinks the world of this horse and goes accordingly.

Hounds eventually hacked on to their next draw nearby in Colm McDonald’s extensive farm, which has farm roadway longer than the M50! Following on, we met solicitor Billy White leading his horse back to the meet, as his mount had given himself a twist over a fly fence.

The land is part of the Nore floodplain and, after extensive rain, there is no shortage of water.

It didn’t take too long before third season Sparky (by Sirloin) threw his tongue and Reynard was viewed away by the ever-observant Liam Clancy, who was out with his daughter Fleurette. Liam is Irish hunting correspondent of the Horse and Hound and is recognised as Ireland’s leading equestrian artist. He is particularly regarded for his hunting portraiture and recently completed a widely-admired retirement picture of Chris Ryan MFH (Scarteen). He was out with his daughter and Anabel Gyves and Olivia Bradley, all students in Kilkenny College.

Grand dash

Hounds got a grand dash around the farm with loads of jumping. Showing real style was Sarah Jane Spencer, sister of leading flat jockey Jamie Spencer. The Spencers have a very good page, their dad George trained Winning Fair to win the Champion Hurdle in 1963 ridden by the amateur Alan Lillingston. Her brother Jamie, with over 2,000 winners to his credit, is former first jockey to Ballydoyle.

Also going well on the day was Portuguese native George Jardin, who now lives in Ireland. A member of the Equipagem de Santo Huberto hunt in Portugal, he recently organised a hunting trip where they hunted through the cork, eucalyptus and pine forests north of Lisbon and a great time was had by all.

Hounds hunted on towards Shanahoe and he was eventually marked to ground in a rath near Shanahoe village.

We were fortunate to have Andrew and Fiona Stirling with us all day and more knowledgeable or agreeable hunting companions it would be hard to find.

With shadows lengthening, our huntsman blew for home and made the hack back to Scotchrath, where the ever-hospitable Lionel resumed his duties as the ever-generous host.