THE tragic loss of one of the country’s top huntsmen in a freak accident at the hunt’s kennels was met with deep shock and profound sadness across the country’s hunting and farming communities this week.

Regarded as one of Ireland’s top huntsmen and houndmen, Duhallow huntsman Ger Withers (45) tragically lost his life after being attacked and trampled by a stag he had gone in to feed at the North Cork kennels on Tuesday evening.

When he did not return home as expected, a friend checked the kennels and immediately raised the alarm on making the shocking discovery.

Emergency services including Gardai and paramedics quickly attended the scene but most tragically the gifted young huntsman had succumbed to his injuries and his body was removed to the mortuary at Cork University Hospital. The tragic incident is being treated as a workplace accident by Gardai and the relevant authorities.

A Garda investigation is under way at Charleville Garda Station into all the circumstances of the fatal accident and HSA were notified of the fatal work-place accident.

Devoted family man

Married to wife Maria (nee Tarrant), the devoted couple have three young children - Jack, Sarah and Jamie. Ger is also survived by his heartbroken parents Derry and Bernie, brother Mick, Helena and Mary T, extended family Taidgh and Molly, parents-in-law Éamon and Breeda Tarrant, brother-in-law Billy and family, uncles, aunts, cousins and a wide circle of friends.

Ger’s sudden loss has also devastated his close colleagues and many friends in Duhallow Hunt and beyond for whom he simply had no equal in his talents and skills.

Expertise

A native of Liscarroll and from a farming background, Ger Withers happily hunted the Duhallow for 14 seasons and was very warmly and highly regarded by all those who knew him across the hunting and farming communities.

His expertise with and his deep love for his beautiful pack of Old English Foxhounds marked him out as a particularly skilled huntsman whose communication with his pack illustrated a special rarity.

Funeral Mass online

His Funeral Mass will be streamed live on www.churchservicelivestream.ie from St John’s Church, Dromtarriffe, at 1pm on today (Saturday, January 2nd) with burial afterwards in Dromtarriffe New Cemetery.

Due to Covid-19 Level 5 restrictions, the funeral Mass is private, a Book of Condolence is open online at www.rip.ie or you can text your message to 0876364942 where messages are also being compiled.

The Irish Field extends sincere condolences to Ger’s family and friends on his untimely loss.