Despite poor scenting conditions, the problem was solved by a cracking pack of hounds, a patient huntsman, cooperative whips and a well foxed country.

The Uisneach Inn is one of the most sporting pubs in the country with landlord Tom Flanagan, also a professional golfer, laying on a hearty welcome and wonderful food. The walls are adorned with hunting, racing and Westmeath Gaelic football memorabilia. It’s easy to find as it is the only building in the village of Killare on the back road from Athlone to Mullingar.

It nestles in the shade of Uisneach Hill, an ancient ceremonial site that features the Bronze Age stone Aill na Mireann (The Stone of Divisions) also known as the Cat Stone, on top of the hill under which the Goddess Enu is buried. It is reputed to be the dead centre of Ireland and each May, they hold the Festival of Fire – an ancient tradition of lighting fires on the summit of each significant hill in the area like Durrow, Crogan and Rosemount which can be seen from the Hill of Tara.

The Streamstown hounds hunt on Sundays and their members event, point-to-point, pony club and compete in show jumping. They were third in the RDS Hunt Chase in 2011. They fundraise with charity rides for the local community centres and neighbouring schools.

Huntsman Damien Farrell is now in his sixth season. He also farms and works for Floods Precast of Oldcastle. He has produced a quality pack of hounds using mostly Waterford, Limerick, Carbury, Duhallow, Macroom and Brosna bloodlines. Although he hunts only one day per week, he has remarkable control and understanding with the pack.

It was very noticeable how well turned-out the followers were. Michael McCormack was hunting with his daughter Sarah, while her sister Emma was on foot. Others out hunting were Brian Dunne, point-to-point rider Heather Kiernan and trainer Shane Kelly who was on a smashing steel grey Irish Draught. He currently has a few young point-to-pointers in training yet to run.

Author Anne Holland, who recently published books on Arkle and The Secret of Kit Cavenaugh, was on a new horse who has hunted with the Bray Harriers. Amongst the followers were Brian and Shane Dunne from the Edenderry Harriers, as well as John Kennedy, Tom McCann from Oldcastle, Geraldine Fox and Louise Robbins on her sister Deirdre’s mare by Mr Clover. Others out hunting were Louise Martin and Mark Colgin, who are getting married shortly.

Following by car were Larry Ellis, John Kennedy and Neva McNamara with her son Ross. Also observing from the road were Liam Byrne, Eamonn Casey, Anthony Childs and his daughter Beth, Aileen and Paul Buckley whose son Enda whips in.

wonderful pack

The Streamstown have a wonderful pack of hounds and they had 12½ couple of mainly Old English, many by the stallion hound Brosna Ton Ton who has had such an influence on packs around the country.

The first run was to be the beginning of a fantastic hunting day of non-stop action despite wind and rain and scent just about workable in the open.

Hounds found immediately at Duffy’s Castle and ran left-handed for Keenans’ towards Scallys’ over the far end of Slevins’ and left for Brian Daly’s where they marked beside the Killare to Streamstown Road after 25 minutes.

They found again on the Hazel Hill in Scallys’ and ran strong, but scent faded. However, that did not stop them feathering on and recovering the line. Entering the plantation beside Slevins’, they disturbed another fox who broke cover. He was headed by a foot follower and ran back in, but in the meantime hounds had marked in extremely thick cover after 30 minutes.

The hedge along the side of the Baileys’ farm was blank, but they went on and drew the two forts, finding in the second one. This fox ran for the Glennons’ farmyard, but when he checked, the huntsman stopped the hounds as they were running into the hunt country of another meet.

They found again in David Clarke’s, screaming away for Luanstown back towards Loughnavalley and crossing a number of farms and then into Kit Kelly’s. You could hear the bitches in fine voice, particularly Cocktail, Granule, Grocer, Ladybird, Laughter and Marble – all Louth, Carbury, Waterford, Brosna and Duhallow bloodlines.

Only Michael Fox and Paraic Durkin were with them. Durkin took on a big hedge with wire in it and was catapulted in the air and nearly met his maker!

It was by now almost dark and in driving rain with everyone drenched to the skin, the huntsman drew Uisneach Hill. A brace was soon on the move, but hounds split. The huntsman and whips timed it well and got them hunting again as a pack. They ran to the top of the farm in a line for Loughnavalley.

A substantial stone wall had both Shane Kelly and Mark Colgin on the ground. The fox hesitated and checked by the castle after 40 minutes, so the huntsman decided to lift them in near darkness.

It was a typical Sunday afternoon back at the Uisneach Inn where Peadar Moran, Tom Egan and Paddy Boyce were playing a game of 25 in front of a roaring fire and point- to-point jockey Ciaran Murphy and Emily Taylor dropped in for a meal.

Former Westmeath Gaelic footballer Paddy Martin was discussing GAA with friends at the counter as the landlord Tom Flanagan and Cathy Ann Kangley served up mouth-watering Irish stew to all the hunt followers.