MOUNT Frisco, situated somewhere on the Tipperary/Offaly border not too far from Clonakenny was our venue last Saturday for a meet of the historic Ormond Foxhounds.

We turned up in good time to see boxes assemble on the all-weather menage at Valerie and Tommy Phelan’s where a warm welcome awaited us and all comers both on foot and mounted.

The last time we met Tommy and Valerie was at the opening of the Ormond last season when they had got married just a few day previously. As we arrived, so did hounds with huntsman Denis O’Sullivan and his new wife Olive, who teaches further education in Central College Limerick.

He was hunting 12 and a half couple of smashing Old English, much of his blood lines going back to the famous Brosna Ton Ton whose stock are to be found in all leading kennels. It is his last season with the Ormond as he is moving on to the neighbouring Nth Tipperary next season, replacing Denis Gilmartin who is retiring from hunting.

Jim Fogarty had volunteered to act as parking steward but he was dressed for hunting, ready for the fray once hounds moved off.

Rich history

The Ormond was founded almost 250 years ago by Lord Lismore who, before being raised to the peerage, had been known more humbly as Cornelius O’Callaghan. He made racing history when he raced his hunter from the steeple in Buttevant to Doneraile steeple narrowly beating his great rival, Edmond Blake.

He had served as MP for Fethard and married Frances Ponsonby, a name still well known in Co Tipperary. Being an MP (particularly for Fethard) must have been a very well paid and profitable vocation as he was able to build Shanbally Castle near Clogheen, one of the finest houses in Ireland of its day. But another golden era awaited and it came with the arrival of Donald Swan (the gallant Captain, Charlie’s father) who hunted hounds from 1973 to ’89.

There were many friendly and familiar faces already on hand like hunt chairman John Kenny of Fairymount, Ballingarry. The Kenny family have been running the Ormond since Adam was a boy, or at least since his great uncle David, in 1895, contributed 25 Sovereigns thus saving the hunt from oblivion.

From father to son, the family involvement has remained and John has been chairman since 1999. Sadly he wasn’t riding as his good grey has given up and hasn’t been able to find a suitable replacement.

No day would be complete in the Ormond without Dorothy Ryan-Purcell who lives nearby in Cloughjordan and whose smile would brighten any meeting. Her other half, Oliver, was missing as he was off hunting with the family pack the Scarteen, of which he is Joint-Master. Hunt secretary Jessica Cahalane, whose family owned and raced Gordon Lord Byron, turned up but sadly had to rush away before move off.

Valerie Phelan taking the walls in her stride while out with the Ormond Foxhounds \ Catherine Power

Centurion

The senior member of the hunt (or of any hunt) has to be Marjorie Wallace who will reach her century this September D.V. and the hunt is already involved in doing an oral history of hunting with her right back to George Webb who hunted hound in the ‘20s.

Valerie’s kitchen was bustling with good cheer, many with a sustaining glass of something hot to prepare them for the rigours of the day. Field- master was Tadgh O’Leary from Roscrea who supplies equine oats all over Ireland under his own brand of Dungar Oats.

The father and daughter team of Kevin and Kaitlyn O’Meara from nearby Dunkerrin rarely miss a day. Padraig McSweeney, a horticulturalist and landscaper, had made the trip from Newtown in the heart of Nth Tipperary country where Denis will be having his final meet as huntsman at the end of the month.

Juniors including Kate Gohery, Andrew Drough and young Ben Carter from Clonakeeny who is a student at Kilkenny College, all there and ready for action.

The saddling bell sounded and jockeys mounted up and move off for the first draw just down the road in Dan Nolan’s farm. Keeping us in touch was Tommy Phelan in his jeep who had sportingly stood down for the day to act as our guide. And a very able guide he proved taking us places where no vehicle had ever driven before.

Smashing walls

Here the field were treated to some smashing walls as hounds drew. Giving a great display were Aaron Ellison-Jones from Bushy Park and Madeleine Bunbury, the well-known equine artist. Beautifully turned out in matching tweeds, they gave a spectacular display of jumping up-sides on their two ongoing chesnuts.

Now well settled in Tipperary, Aaron is the son of Vinny Jones who found early fame as a footballer, winning the 1988 renewal of the FA cup with premier side Wimbledon. He later went on to a distinguished career as a film actor, mainly type cast in in gangster parts.

Meanwhile Madeleine’s pedigree goes right back to Sir Charles Bunbury, the owner of the first winner of the Epsom Derby, Diomed, in 1780. He was a steward of the Jockey Club and was said “to rule racing with a rod of an iron”. A very distinguished sporting artist, one of Madeleine’s more recent commissions was to paint Price William’s favourite polo pony.

While all this schooling was going on, hounds found and as Reynard was about to appear, so did a deer who set his antler for the 7,000 acres of forestry nearby. However the ever reliable Patriot, who was hand reared in kennels out of Ormond Parsley, remained loyal to his fox and hounds hunted on to David Hasting’s, taking a fine drop wall into forestry in their stride.

Linda Connors from Borrisokane gave a great display over the wall as did our hostess Valerie on her lovely black cob who made nothing of it.

However, all too soon, our pilot found a welcoming shore in the forestry and was left.

Hounds moved on to draw Paudie Tracey’s where they again found, running on to Mikey Maher’s and Jim Costigan’s where a liberal dose of recent slurry totally destroyed any hope of scent.

With the afternoon moving on and more particularly, the second half of the match of the century - Ireland and France - awaiting back at Tom and Valerie’s, Denis blew for home.

Ormond Foxhounds

Chairman - Mr John Kenny (1999)

Fairymount Farm, Ballingarry, Co Tipperary

Hon Sec - Jessica Cahalane

Kennels - Mondreeney Cloughjordan

Huntsman - Denis O’Sullivan (2010)

Field master - Tadgh O’Leary

Whippers-in - Mr Mark Dunne, Mr Keith Broderick Paul McGlore

History

Founded by Lord Lismore in the 1778, they are one of the oldest packs in Ireland. They are still kennelled on the land of Capt. Donal Swan who hunted hounds from 1973 to’89

Some former masters include: Mr Assheton Biddulph 1884-96, Earl of Huntingdon 1919-23, Capt. L Preston 1952-60, Capt. Donal Swan 1973-89, Geo Younghusband 1983-93

They meet on Saturdays.