IT is the end of era at the Meath Foxhounds as William John Henry, to give him his correct name, but known as John, retired as huntsman after 30 seasons hunting hounds and five seasons whipping-in to his father, Johnny, who worked for the Meaths from the time he was a 15-year-old.

John furthered his hunting education from 1986 to 1989 whipping-in to the Duhallow Foxhounds, returning to whip-in to his father and then taking on the pack on his father’s retirement in 1992. When John got injured in 2005, his brother Kenny, who was at the time working as hunt countryman, slotted in seamlessly to the role of hunting the pack. With John recovered and ready to come back, the hunt decided to split the role of huntsman with John hunting the bitch pack and Kenny hunting the doghounds.

The Henry family have given, between Johnny and his son John, over 60 seasons service hunting the Meath Foxhounds. But that is surpassed as John’s brother Kenny has also hunted hounds for 17 seasons and continues as huntsman. That makes over 77 seasons hunting hounds by the three members of the Henry family.

The Meaths are a great team with Barry Finnegan as the professional whipper-in and the two amateur whippers-in Brian Black, Johnny Clarke, and more recently Jill Revill helping out. John often remarked that, “There would be no team on horseback if there was no team on the ground”, and there are so many that if you mention one you would be afraid to leave one out but Kit, Jack, Charlie, Tony and Sean come to mind.

John’s favourite horse was his namesake John, that he only had one fall off in 10 seasons and his favourite hound was Barmaid who was an incredible hound to mark.

Family

John grew up in a large family with his parents Johnny and Kathleen, sisters and brothers, where the talk was all about hounds, horses, hunting, hound shows, autumn hunting and an analysis of how the pack performed every day they were out. From an early age, his mother Kathleen would have all their hunting clothes laid out on their beds while their ponies were being tacked up.

But they equally talked about Cortown, their GAA club, as John’s father Johnny played for four different clubs and it was not unusual when the lads were growing up to have five of the Henry family on the same team.

John went on to represent his county at all levels. They could do with him now! He is also a huge Liverpool supporter. His friend Tony Coyle said: “As a huntsman he was as cool as a breeze, never interfering with hounds, and on the football field he was such a strong competitor that you would be delighted to be playing on the same team as him, but feel unfortunate if you were playing against him.”

Main influences

Without doubt, John’s main influence was his father Johnny, who the family still look up to, to this day. He lived for his hunting, and he used to say that ‘every day is a short one when you are doing what you love best’.

The Ballymacad Foxhounds’ huntsman Kevin Donohoe, whose hunt country adjoins the Meaths, described John as a fantastic hound man, and a serious horseman across country, but even more important he had a huge relationship with the farming community. In fact he said John was a role model of what every huntsman should aspire to be - really professional at their job.

Kevin would have hunted with John from the days he worked for international showjumper Capt. Con Power. He recalled a meet in Dunderry with John hunting hounds, when himself, Maurice Quinn and Ken Farrelly were visiting. They had a cracking run of over an hour at speed with the bitch pack displaying their talent. If they accidentally strayed into each other’s hunt country, they had mutual respect, and they always left everything right with the landowners.

Huntsman of the Meath Foxhounds John Henry with hounds at Ardbraccan House \ Noel Mullins

Learning from the best

Although John’s father Johnny was considered as the huntsman to look up to, John also learned from those two great Meath whippers-in, Aidan Galligan and ‘Speedy’ O’Rourke. But he could not reach the high standards that he achieved without spending time whipping-in to Dan Coleman of the Duhallow Foxhounds in Cork. This dual education has only been the preserve of very few huntsmen.

Maurice Coleman, field-master of the Duhallow Foxhounds, and one of the most respected producer of hunters, show horses and eventers, takes up the story. He described John Henry as a wonderful young man who came to the Duhallows when Maurice’s brother Dan was huntsman. Dan was the ultimate professional, described as an amazing breeder of hounds and the best and a fearless horseman to cross country bar none. Consequently it was a daunting task for a young whipper-in from Co Meath to live up to Dan’s expectations. But John adapted, and is admired for having survived the strict regime that mad him the respected huntsman he is.

Meath joint-master and Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle winning jockey Norman Williamson is rich in his praise for John. He recalled when he retired from race riding 20 years ago, he came to hunt with the Meath Foxhounds and he and John became great friends. He described him as follows, ‘John is the ultimate professional that will be sadly missed. Of course he learned from the best, his father Johnny.

I have had fantastic times hunting with the Meaths and John’s attention to detail has to be admired, his turnout on a hunting day, timekeeping moving off at 11am sharp, his reading of hounds and fox sense, and above all he gets on with everybody. As a former Meath Gaelic football player, he knows people the length and breadth of the county, and he will never cross a farm if he has not asked for permission.’

Shows and racing

The Meath Hounds are always on the winning list at the National Hound Show at Stradbally Hall and The Hunting Association of Northern Ireland at Gosford Park, thanks to all the work that goes into the preparation by John, Kenny, Barry, and the hunt staff back in the kennels. Last year they travelled to the Festival of Hunting the All England Hound Show at Peterborough and received a big cheer as they entered the show ring and did not come away empty-handed.

John led the Parade of Champions with the Meath Hounds at the Dublin Horse Show in the Main Arena on a number of occasions and he demonstrated his relationship with the pack as they gathered around him on top of the double bank.

He also rode in the Huntsman’s Challenge over Punchestown Racecourse with an impressive displays over Ruby’s Double. He has been one of the main organisers of Nugentstown Horse and Country Fair and has hosted Hounds Shows, Puppy Shows and Lurcher, Terrier and Whippet Shows at the kennels.

In true Meath tradition, William John Henry bows out after an illustrious career as huntsman of the Meath Foxhounds with a final recent meet at Kilmainham, Kells, with over 250 supporters and 70 hunt staff from around Ireland and the UK there to wish him well. But tradition also calls for the show to goes on, and Kenny will take on John’s bitch pack in addition to his doghound pack with the same style and success he has shown over the last 17 seasons. John will be sadly missed as he has given so much sport to so many for so long. We wish John, his wife Mary and children Evan, Riannan and Lauren well in the future.