THE recent passing of Paul Ronan MFH has left an unfillable void in the sporting life of south Tipperary. Paul was an inveterate and lifelong hunting man, but then he didn’t pick it up off the ground. In bloodstock terms, he could be said to have a very good page, laden with hunting blacktype.

Born in 1955, he was the eldest of Tom and Dorothy Ronan’s family, themselves dedicated foxhunters. Always properly mounted, Tom, Dorothy and family rarely missed a red letter day with the gallant Tipps or adjacent packs, particularly Scarteen, where they were subscribers for many years. Tom had been Joint Master for five seasons there from 1991 to 1996. Hunting was in the blood; his uncle Louis and family were equally enthusiastic and hunted as frequently as their cousins.