IT bucketed down with rain, and the black sky cast mid-morning into near darkness, and then my GPS lost the satellite at McCann Corner near Newry, and I was not the least surprised.

However, it did not put off the Iveagh Foxhounds followers or indeed all those that came from other hunts to support horse trainer Sarah Dawson of Tanvalley Stud who has retired as joint-master.

Hosting the meet were George Cromie and his family at their dairy farm in Brague. The range of culinary delights would have lit up any TV cookery programme, as the hunt followers were treated to an amazing range of homemade cooking. Robert, who works on the family farm, got in early and looked to be enjoying himself before the kitchen was packed to capacity. Coffee and even something stronger was welcome, given the inclement weather. The Cromie family are perfect hosts and the most hospitable and friendly people.

A presentation of a piece of cut glass with the Iveagh Foxhounds logo was recently made to Sarah who probably thought that was it, but the masters and committee had other ideas. They commissioned a painting of Sarah on a hunting day by artist Liam Clancy and not alone did Liam drive up with the painting from Co Laois, but brought his hunter and Brigid MacAulay’s who hunts with the Kilworth & Araglen in Cork and they hunted for the day.

Joint-master Alexander Mills was joined by incoming joint-master Pat Hayes who is also master of the Duhallows, and honorary secretary Faith Cromie and honorary treasurer Fiona Wilson, in making the presentation to an emotional Sarah who was in tears acknowledging how much the surprise had meant to her. Sarah, who always has a big welcoming smile, replaced joint-master Bob Wilson, is extremely popular and has worked tirelessly for the hunt in and out of office.

But it did not stop there, as on a day you would not put a cat out, Iveagh huntsman Declan Mulcaire and his smashing pack of hounds treated the followers to an action-packed day so they forgot about the dreadful weather. Declan started his hunting with the Dromore Harriers, the Blue Ridge in the USA and the County Limerick Foxhounds where his grandfather was Lord Daresbury’s right-hand man.

His hounds are a credit to him, they are the complete package, booming voices, great fox sense even when scent is poor, and are a joy to watch as they hunted fresh lines and stale lines and persevered driving forward in perfect harmony. Whipper-in Jordan Parr is an up and coming hunting talent. His father Tommy whips into the Louth Foxhounds and his uncle Lloyd hunts them. The huntsman has great support from Robert Gault and Mark Chapman and his sons Mattie and Lee.

My pathfinder was meet host George Cromie, but to get some jumping shots I transferred to his daughter Heather’s quad. Heather, who works as a full-time farmer, is expecting a baby next February and if she ever gives up farming, she would make an international rally driver, or motorbike road racer capable of giving the Dunlop brothers a run for their money.

We drove through floods, up fields through gaps that only she knew about, as she stood up on the quad just like a jockey would in a race while I tried to keep my camera dry. No need for palliates or a gym in Brague as she is testament that farming keeps you fit! And she informed that she will get the calving done on their large dairy herd before she goes in to have her baby!

Followers

Honorary secretary Faith Cromie was on her smashing black hunter Danny while her father George loaned his hunter Harry to Sarah Dawson whose son Patrick also joined her. Others supporting Sarah on the day were former Iveagh master Bob Wilson, joint- masters of the East Down Donna Quail, and Pat Turley of Kingsland Haylage, Lauren Finnegan, Brigid MacAuley, Mark English, Cheltenham winning jockey Jason McKeown, David Rance, Fiona Wilson, Jill McIlroy, Edgar and Adam Boggs, Mark McIlroy, Thomas McCreesh, Lauren Finnegan and Liz Mackey.

There was also a group from the Streamstown Harriers; Enda Buckley, Gene Fitzgerald, the huntsman’s son Kyle McMahon, Damian Farrell and Francis Dignan. It was great to meet up again with former Iveagh field-master John Harvey, and Charlie McPoland, Anthony McEvoy, and Herbie Andrews who is always in the right place.

A group of the Iveagh Pony Club children - Freddie and Annabel Clarke, Katie Robinson, Beth Wishart, Rebecca McAdams, Una McClelland and Alexander Phillips - were qualifying for their hunt certificates. They were given a short talk by joint-master Pat Hayes, and chaperoned by Janice Clarke and Andrew Phillips who also hunt with the Tynan & Armagh Foxhounds. They already spent a day in the kennels with the huntsman Declan Mulcaire who introduced them to kennel management, the hounds and young puppies.

Cromie’s Bog

It may have had all the marks of a poor scenting day but the huntsman and his superb pack of hounds had other ideas, as even before the followers had settled, hounds found in Cromie’s Bog. They screamed away over William Cromie’s and Russell’s stubble ground to the top of the hill and across the Aghaderg Road but they were now struggling in very windy conditions as they checked on Sydney’s Hill.

They continued across the drains in Bairds and Cowans and drew the Quarry where another customer was on the move but found safety underground. Crossing the Cascum Road, there was nobody at home in Baird’s whinns, but the pack worked up a line on a fox that doubled back and to ground.

The next draw was on former master and huntsman John Porter’s farm. I met John’s son, John Jr and his wife Jane, who have a beautiful herd of 150 Jersey cattle, and John Jnr had all the electric fences turned off. His brother Ian played rugby for Ulster and Connacht. The pack meanwhile spoke on a stale line and feathered up to the top of the farm and checked.

Porter’s Fort was blank but McKnight’s farm where the furze held a brace with one heading for the carriageway, but hounds were away on the second fox to Trimble’s Bog and over the hill where Herbie Andrews viewed him away with plenty of jumping eventually marking him in Grattens.

Near Loughbrickland Church the huntsman drew the sown ground on foot and as hounds crossed the river, suddenly their sterns sent a familiar signal as they worked up the line slowly, picking up another brace sitting in the sugar beet in McKnight’s as the music rose a couple of octaves as they got onto the grass and settled down on a line across the Tower Road, but the wind across the hill was really strong as they ran through Andersons where scent petered out.

The huntsman was game for more and he drew the valley at the back of Cromie’s main farm and found again and flew away over the hill to Clay Road but they were close to a herd of Dexter cattle so the huntsman stopped them. But not before the followers took on the river which was in flood as Conor McDonnell found to his surprise. The retiring master Sarah Dawson hacked home with the huntsman and the pack as he blew ‘Going home’ after a cracking day’s hunting.

The Cromie family came to the rescue yet again as they treated a water sodden group of followers to a warm fire and the most delicious home-made shepherd’s pie I have ever tasted!

History

The Iveagh Foxhounds were established as a harrier pack in 1825 and later disbanded in 1880. They were re-established in 1902 and their most popular meets are around Banbridge, Loughbrickland, Scarva and Dromore.

Factfile

Iveagh Foxhounds

Chairperson – Leisha O’Doherty

Masters - Alexander Mills and Sarah Dawson

Huntsman - Declan Mulcaire

Whipper-in - Jordan Parr

Field-Master - The Masters

Honorary Secretary - Faith Cromie

Honorary Treasurer - Fiona Wilson