Brian Fortune out with the Wicklow Foxhounds at the Wicklow Gap \ Alex Heffernan

Jessica O'Leary out with the Wicklow Foxhounds at the Wicklow Gap \ Alex Heffernan

The mounted field out with the Wicklow Foxhounds at the Wicklow Gap \ Alex Heffernan

Alan Mc Nulty of the North Galway Foxhounds enjoying the Shrule meet \ Maura Morrin

Jackie Lee Field, Master with the North Galway Foxhounds, clearing a hedge while out on the Shrule meet \ Maura Morrin

Ben Keane out with North Galway Foxhounds at the St Stephen's Day Meet in Shrule \ Maura Morrin

Caoimhe Mulchair (10) on her first hunt with the Galway Blazers during their St Stephen's Day Meet at Craughwell \ Alan Leonard

Leona walsh at the Galway Blazers meet at Craughwell on St Stephen's Day \ Alan Leonard

William McMahon at the Galway Blazers meet at Craughwell on St Stephen's Day \ Alan Leonard

Susie Shekleton and Tadhg Dooley at the meet of the Kildare Foxhounds from Dunlavin on St Stephen's Day \ Siobhan Emglish

Three-year-old Sebastian Moore waves to the camera on his pony Luna during the children's meet of the Kildare Foxhounds from Grangecon \ Siobhan Emglish

Lauren Moore is airborne while attending the children's meet of the Kildare Foxhounds from Grangecon. She dropped right back into the saddle and carried on hunting! \ Siobhan Emglish

The Kildare Foxhounds, led by huntsman Padhraic Moynihan, heading back to the village of Dunlavin, Co Wicklow after the annual St Stephen's Day hunt which attracted over 100 mounted followers. Another 700-plus people turned out in the village that morning and generously donated €2,300 which will go towards the new astro turf football pitch in Dunlavin \ Siobhan Emglish

Elana Ni Shithigh, Emily Ryan, Ava Gainor, Lauren Spain, Clodagh Spain , Rachel Donovan (Iris hFarmers Journal) and Charlie Cairns out with the North Tipperary Foxhounds \ Catherine Power

Elana Ni Shithigh, Emily Ryan, Ava Gainor, Lauren Spain, Clodagh Spain , Rachel Donovan (Iris hFarmers Journal) and Charlie Cairns out with the North Tipperary Foxhounds \ Catherine Power

Charlie O’Shea takes the hedge in her stride with the North Tipperary Foxhounds \ Catherine Power

Rachel Donovan sails over a big hedge on her great grey horse with The North Tipperary Foxhounds \ Catherine Power

Róisín O'Connor, five, riding the five-year-old Pip at the Wicklow Foxhounds' children's meet at Kilanerin Village on Sunday, December 28th