ONE of the most enthusiastic followers of country sports, Thomas (Thosh) Kellett has sadly passed away. A master of the Ballymacad Foxhounds for 27 years, Thosh was a keen fisherman and shot, a man who loved nature, his community and the countryside. Above all, he was a family man and a large employer through his family business, Respa Beds, which he founded in the town of Oldcastle in County Meath.

It would suffice just to list the tributes to Thosh in the past few days, which describe his character - a gentleman, caring, honest, kind, great company; his passing - a void in our hearts, leaving nothing but fond memories; a driving force - hardworking family man and a great employer, who has left behind a huge legacy. But there was even more to Thosh, particularly that captivating welcoming smile when he greeted you and occasionally a brace of pheasants, if he had a good day out, and his infectious enthusiasm for the challenges of business and the privilege of immersing himself in country life. Ballymacad huntsman Kevin Donohue, who enjoyed over 20 seasons hunting hounds when Thosh was master, described him as, ‘A serious driving force, always in good humour that would leave you with a smile on your face’. As a measure of the man, Thosh requested that there be no fuss at his funeral as he did not want to inconvenience anybody, but made it known that his wife Ann was his platform and his children and grandchildren were his pride and joy.

I value the many fond memories I have of travelling around with Thosh when I was reporting on his beloved Ballymacad Foxhounds for The Irish Field where he was joint-master, but interestingly he never sat on a horse, he just loved watching hound’s work. He was like a combination of Google Maps, together with an innate knowledge of hounds and quarry in the hunt country getting to all the best vantage points, down narrow overgrown lanes that had no sign posts.

He seemed to know every farmer in the country and would stop to chat about farming, the weather and share memories of times and people gone by. He was one of the most interesting people you could spend an afternoon with, he had such an active mind and could move in conversation seamlessly from hunting, fishing, shooting, photography, rallying, farming and business effortlessly. He was always planning ahead in his family business, Respa Beds, or planning the future of the Ballymacads.

Business

Thosh’s father and mother, Jack and Joan Kellett, founded a harness business in 1947 with Thosh joining them in the 1960s diversifying into manufacturing beds with initial production of 30 mattresses a week to 1,500 a week by 2017 with €19 million in turnover becoming the largest employer in the town of Oldcastle, employing 170 people with many generations of the same family working for the company.

The business started from a Nissan hut to eventually occupying a floor space of 240,000 square feet, achieving their first million in turnover by 1981. In 2000, a fire destroyed the factory, but Thosh made it known that not alone would he rebuild the factory, but he would pay all the staff while it was being done, as well as telling the fire officers that he had been on the phone and had ordered three new machines from France that would be delivered the following week. But with so many offers of temporary premises by businesses in the town that they produced their first mattress four days later and never looked back since.

He was before his time as he told me that Respa appointed two people to deal with waste in the manufacturing process, resulting in metals and material being sold to other companies to be recycled in another manufacturing process. Many business awards followed, such as the ‘County Meath Business of the Year’ and one that Thosh delighted in, ‘The Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year’, which took him to the USA and Harvard University. He relished the experiences of joining a number of successful Irish companies and their senior management, including Galway Blazers field master Willie Leahy, who was nominated for his Connemara Trail, and Michael Hoey, who with his brother Gabriel has developed Country Crest in North County Dublin into a major Agri-food company employing over 400 people. And he had the vision that we often don’t see in family businesses of putting a succession plan for Respa in place, with a blend of family talent as well as outside expertise. This allowed him to step back as managing director in 2012 and as chairman in 2017.

Ballymacad Hunt

He always spoke proudly of the superb team that they had at the Ballymacad Hunt, with praise for the huntsman and the whippers-in, as well as his fellow masters and the hunt committee and the tireless work they do visiting the farming community and always supporting them in times of both happiness and grief and raising much-needed funds for families, schools and clubs. Thosh made friends very easily and one example of this was when Jim Stevenson wanted to bring some American visitors to see a foxhunt. He was advised to call to Thosh at his home, whom he did not know at the time. This chance visit led eventually to Jim joining Thosh in the mastership for a very successful 25 seasons.

But he had vision for the Ballymacads in parallel with his business commitments by buying land on behalf of the hunt, so that they could plan for the future. He then travelled the country looking at the best designed kennels, with a view to putting together a blueprint for discussion with the masters, hunt staff and committee. But he was not the only member of the Kellett family involved in the Ballymacads, as his son Bobby has been an honorary whipper-in of the hunt for 27 years and is a man who has a reputation as one of the most talented riders to ride the Bally hunt country.

Thosh will miss the Ballymacads parading hounds at the Dublin Horse Show this year, but we hope he will have a grandstand view from the hunting country in the sky, as he will be very much in our thoughts as their huntsman Kevin Donohue, celebrating his 25th season hunting hounds, and the Ballymacad Hounds will lead The Parade of Champions of the Show.

Thosh was a deeply spiritual man and a great supporter of his local church and various charities. Over the years, he had survived more than 10 major operations and never complained. Fr Mark Mohan, who concelebrated the Requiem Mass, recalled having to sleep in an uncomfortable bed when he was in Saint Finnian’s College in Mullingar, where Thosh’s sons were at school. Darren told him that his daddy made beds and to come up on the weekend and he would give him one. He said he has slept soundly as a result in a Respa bed for the last 25 years. He also recalled giving Thosh the Last Rights in Cavan Hospital last week and, shortly before he passed away, Thosh told Fr Mark that he would look up his parents when he got to Heaven and tell them that he sent them his love.

Thosh Kellett will be missed particularly by his family and friends, the Ballymacad Hunt and the families of the employees of Respa Beds. He is survived by his wife Ann, sisters June, Dolly and Mary, children Nicole (Padraic), Bobby (Tara), Darren (Emma) Richie (Martha), his eight grandchildren and many neighbours and friends. His funeral took place last week at Saint Brigid’s Church in Oldcastle, where guards of honour lined the route of the cortege as Thosh was taken to his final resting place.

- Noel Mullins