History
The hunt was founded in 1839 with John Dennis appointed as the first huntsman. Hounds have been resident in the current kennels since 1891.
The team
President: Janet Coveney
Chairman: Michael McDonagh
Vice Chairman: Finbar Ryan
Masters: Ella Coffey, Niall Earls, Mark Walsh and Jim Derwin
Huntsman: Mark Ollard
Whipper-in: Eoin Clinton
Field masters: Kevin Dempsey and Johnny Geoghegan
Honorary secretary: Karen Coffey
Honorary treasurer: Maeve Carty
Visitors are welcome by arrangement with the Honorary Secretary.
THERE is a great atmosphere at the moment in the Galway Blazers with personalities old and new arriving at their opening meet at The Earl Inn in Kiltullagh, which has established itself as the go-to bar for atmosphere, a good pint and excellent food.
Looking across at Raford House, we recall the masters of the three Galway Foxhound packs who lived in it - Charlie Bishop of the East Galway Foxhounds, Lord and Lady Hemphill of the Galway Blazers, and Bernard Brennan of The North Galway Foxhounds. And just behind it is the Tulira Connemara Pony Stud, founded by Lady Hemphill in 1963, now managed by her granddaughter Serena, who stands Tulira Darog and has a sister stud in the Cotswolds. She is married to top jockey Nico de Boinville, who rides for Nicky Henderson.
The Blazers have a great team in place with senior joint master Ella Coffey, a successful international business woman, who has brought her high standards in business to her ambitions for the hunt. She has been busy with her team during the summer re-roofing the stables in the kennels and refurbishing the apartments in the yard for the hunt staff and the work continues with a huge investment in the future of the hunt.
Her sister Karen, who is one of the organisers of the Monivea Horse Show, is the hunt honorary secretary. Two new masters have joined the team - Niall Earls, a former master of the East Galway Foxhounds, and the owner of Ndaawi, the Guinness Galway Plate winner this year, trained by Gordon Elliot and ridden by Jack Kennedy. Niall was joined by his son Thady and daughter Eveanna and would be better known as the joint-CEO of the family agri-business EasyFix, who are the designers and producers of racecourse fences.
His fellow master is Mark Walsh, whose father Eamonn I remember back in the 1970s when he was master with film director John Huston, Frank Manheim, Michael Dempsey and Lord Peter Patrick Hemphill. Athlone’s international horse dealer Jim Derwin makes up the quartet of masters.
New huntsman
They have a new huntsman in Mark Ollard who whipped in for the last two seasons, which was a great way of getting to know the country. Mark has a strong hunting pedigree as his father and mother were masters and Mark has hunted the Island, Westmeath, Scarteen and the North Tipperary Foxhounds. Whipping-in to him is Owen Clinton from Westmeath and former Blazers’ whipper-in Oisin Rigney with countryman Micky Shaughnessy.
Mark was busy showing his hounds at hound shows during the summer with great support from senior master Ella Coffey.
Aidan ‘Suntan’ O’Connell took a break from hospital treatment to be at the meet with his friend Tom Cronin. Aidan, who has ridden in three Aintree Grand Nationals, has introduced hundreds of overseas visitors to the Blazers over the years and cuts a spectacular presence himself when he was hunting in his silk top hat, hunting tails with his Prince of Wales cuffs, and Prussian collar, white riding breeches and champagne topped boots.
His tailors were mainly Frazers in Limerick, with Patey for top hats and accessories by Saville Row tailors. At the meet, he was wearing a black cloak with a fur collar, a present from a Peruvian lady friend that hunted with the Blazers, with a silver clasp, together with his trademark silk top hat and pink carnation. Now that’s real style!
James and Veronica Dempsey and Theresa Kennedy Lydon at the opening meet of the Galway Blazers from The Earl Inn in Raford, Kiltulla \ Noel Mullins
Turnout
The turnout of both riders and horses was exceptional, typical Blazers high standards set by the masters and hunt staff. This is horse production country with so many young horses learning to settle and learn their craft in the Blazers hunting field. And there are none better than the Carty sisters, Maeve and Nicola, as well as Amory McMahon and Karen Coffey to produce and ride at the highest level.
Add to that Tom McNamara and his daughter Maria who are no strangers to top honours in Balmoral and the Dublin Horse Show, as well as providing hirelings and made hunters. Then William McMahon and his wife Grace Maxwell-Murphy, who have achieved the highest standings year after year in Irish Draught, Irish Sport Horse and Connemara Pony classes at the Dublin Horse Show and recently at The Horse of the Year Show.
Dorothy McAlinden, a daughter of legendary Blazers field master, was out with her daughter Rachel who also breeds and produces Connemara Ponies. And I met former Blazers follower Pat O’Neill and Andy Griffin, whose father Paddy produced Harvey Smith’s two-time Hickstead Derby winner Mattie Brown. Andy may have another star as he bred Kincullia Draco, who is with Maurice Cousins in Barnadown jumping 1.40m.
Finbar O’Reagan, a former committee member, who has hunted with the Blazers for 40 years, was accompanied by his daughter Sarah who is on the hunt committee. Finbar is a historian who mapped the history of his native Athenry and the Blazers and was head master of a nearby National School.
Ahead of his time, not alone did he teach the exam curriculum but educated successive generations in the beauty of the countryside and took students to visit the hunt and even sourced ponies for those interested in following a day’s hunting.
Followers
Hunting were Karen Coffey, James and Veronica Dempsey, Rosie O’Neill, Kevin and Geraldine Dempsey, Vincent, Ruth and Molly Shields, Theresa Kennedy-Lynch, Liz Regan and David McCarthy. Out too was show jumper JJ Naughton, whose late mother Riona will be remembered as a trail blazer for women’s rugby having played for Ireland, Saracens, Belvedere and Corinthians.
Also out were Shane Jones, Paul and Christine Rabbitte, Florian Conen from Germany, Niamh and Alec Walsh on his first hunt, and Fionn and Aoibheann O’Shaughnessy.
Following also were Cyril Carty of Birchill Stables, Gerry McMahon, Damian Carty, Charlie Rigney, Brian Lynch, Colm Whyte and photographer Alan Leonard. Johnny Geoghegan, who provides hirelings and stands Irish Draught, thoroughbred and Connemara stallions was on foot. Grace Maxwell-Murphy was also on foot with her son Archie, while husband William McMahon was hunting another young future star.
Top job
The first draw was in John Burke’s farm whose father Christopher worked with former East Galway master Charlie Bishop. Drawing on through John Earls’ and Michael Dempsey’s Plantation, hounds found almost immediately along the old Loughrea to Attymon railway line running a full loop back into the Plantation.
We got to hear some wonderful hound music before marking to ground and an equally good refrain from a huntsman who is on top of his job. The pack found again in Paul Cannon’s Covert, but this fox took a similar route to his companion also finding a safe refuge.
The huntsman moved on to Knockatogher, where the pack found a brace in a small patch of furze taking up residence beside a flock of sheep and again the pack were on song with the huntsman and whippers-in keeping hounds true to one, which they accounted for with another heading in the opposite direction towards Kingstown, Kiltullagh through the sheep to shake off the scent.
The followers had a hilltop view of excellent hound work, but the huntsman did not want to go back through country already hunted, so he crossed the Killimordaly Road keeping tight to headlands in new grass and over a wall in the corner into Ollie Doyle’s farm and finding yet again for a short run before he drew back through Willie Kelly’s and on over Gary Earls’ where he blew for home.
It was a smashing start to the season with the new huntsman and his hounds never putting a foot wrong, which told in the happy faces of the followers. Host Gary Earls supplied a great selection of finger food, but many stayed on for a full meal as the restaurant is receiving excellent reviews as the place to dine.
Aidan ‘Suntan’ O’Connell was holding court at the bar with Tom and Rose Dempsey, Colm Farrell and Paul Geoghegan and you could hear the bursts of laughter in the car park as jokes were told, poems were recited and songs were sung.
Yes, the west is really awake!