LADY Hemphill (nee Ruttledge) sadly passed away this week at Craughwell Nursing Home in Co Galway.

She will be remembered as an exceptionally elegant and friendly lady, with time for everybody, always encouraging, great company to be with and well travelled, with a wide range of interests. In particular, she will be remembered as one of the most accomplished Galway Blazers’ field masters, a role she filled with style for 15 seasons.

Hunting once in Oranmore when Michael Dempsey was huntsman, he drew the last covert at the rifle range in near darkness when hounds found immediately and we were away.

Lady Hemphill, leading the field, came down in a narrow lane when her horse slipped. Stopping to help, we got a glimpse of her hand barely visible over the wall, waving us on as she tried to extricate herself from under her horse, saying: “Go on, go on, don’t mind me, enjoy yourselves!”

Anne Hemphill was born in India where her father Robin was attached to the Indian Cavalry as commander of the Governor’s Bodyguard in Madras. It was there that she first hunted initially with the Peshawar Hounds and later with the Ootacamund Hounds in the Ooty Valley.

Aged six, she and her family returned to Ireland to live at her mother Rose Burke’s home at Cloonee in Co Mayo. It did not take long for her father to buy a Connemara pony from Paddy Daly near Lough Mask named Peggy. Paddy Moran, who worked on the farm, took Lady Hemphill hunting regularly to the North Mayo Harriers.

She married Peter Patrick Hemphill, the fifth Baron Hemphill in 1952 and they moved into Tulira Castle shortly afterwards.

Over dinner with film director John Huston, Lady Hemphill purchased two of his Connemara ponies, Glen Nelly and Star of Fahy, who were to become the foundation stock of the Tulira Connemara Pony Stud, which at its height stocked 50 ponies.

She put the mares to Tooreen Rose, which produced the stallion Tulira Mairtin and Tulira Mavourneen, later a champion at the Dublin Horse Show. She produced many international champions, like Cregmore Colm champion in Australia, Napoleon in Libya, and Tulira Bobby champion in Australia. Pakie Whelan still stands her stallion Tulira Robuck on his farm.

Lady Hemphill was in demand as a judge of Connemara ponies and was delighted when her granddaughter Serena started hunting with the Blazers.

She was equally delighted with Serena’s interest in taking over the Tulira Connemara Pony Stud, which will continue to maintain the high standards that its founder set down.

Lady Hemphill founded the County Galway Pony Club in 1963, whose colours are the maroon and white of Galway, and brought out the best in every young person. They won a number of Irish championships, including being placed at Stoneleigh. She produced many fine riders including international junior event rider, as well as the occasional celebrity, most notably actress Angelica Huston.

Her late husband, Peter Patrick, was chairman of the Galway Race Committee, and a senior steward of the Turf Club. He was responsible for many innovations in Irish racing, including corporate sponsorship, mobile starting stalls and improved facilities, and, with him, Lady Hemphill was able to follow her passion for horse racing.

Her welcoming smile will be missed by any. The smile was usually followed by the instruction: “Now tell me where you have been and what you’ve been doing since we last met.”

She is survived by her son Charles, daughters Angela and Mary Anne, sons and daughter-in-law, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and her wide circle of friends.

N. M.