LAST Saturday saw the west Limerick pack, the Stonehall Harriers meet at Wyeth’s, just outside the market town of Askeaton in Co Limerick. Wyeth’s are world leaders in infant nutrition and have a major factory and a huge local employer in Askeaton.

Like most harriers they are a mid-day pack, but huntsman Jamie Crosse does not hang around and, once the angelus has rung, he is away. Hunting an all-harrier pack of 28 hounds, he corrected me when I asked him how any couple he had out, saying “harriers are more correctly counted as singles not couples, as they were traditionally trencher fed”.

However, Stonehall are kennelled at Bansha House, the home and farm of their late and much-lamented master, Ivan McDonagh.

The Stonehalls are, above all, a family pack with a tradition of long and family masterships. Looking at the record of former masters, you will see that Michael O’Shaughnessy was master (and huntsman for most of it) for an astonishing 53 seasons, a record in the hunting world anywhere. Their current master, John Finucaine from Ballyengland, following the Stonehall tradition is a nephew of the late Michael O’Shaughnessy and carried the horn for several seasons back in the late 90s.

Hunted for the last six seasons by Jamie Crosse, a builder by trade but a dyed-in-the-wool foxhunter, he parks his building business for the winter months to be able to concentrate on hunting. First whipper-in is his partner, Selina Braddish from nearby Ballyengland. By next season, she will no longer be referred to as Selina, but more correctly as Dr Braddish, as she has almost completed her PhD in human psychology and is based in the mental health unit of one of Limerick’s major hospitals.

Sadly, her horse on the day, a nice bay, knew nothing about this, as he spent most of the day trying to buck her off. He didn’t succeed!

The list of amateur whippers-in include Tadhg Hanly, Mark Siney and Paudie Hanrahan.

Turnout

Hunt secretary Ann Cregan was on hand to collect cap and ensure that everything was in apple-pie order, but sadly she had to leave once hounds moved off, as she was taking her two young jockeys Dylan (10) and Jessica, all of 7, to Cavan that afternoon for jumping the following day.

She has been known to be injury-prone and she is recovering from an unfortunate fall, landing on a heap of stones resulting in a couple of broken ribs and a punctured lung. But made of sterner stuff, she carries on as if nothing had happened.

Jamie Crosse huntsman of The Stonehall Harriers moves off to the first draw with his lovely pack of harriers \ Catherine Power

Wyeth’s is looked on as one of their better meets, with a good turnout equally divided between young sportsmen and veterans. Ann O’Grady, whose hunting goes right back to the days of Lord Daresbury, was out on a nice grey, with her sister Mary and young Zak.

But then, hunting is all about family and another family group and newcomers to hunting were the O’Donoghue’s from Charleville, with young Millie and Jimmy bursting with excitement. Certainly not newcomers were the Morans from Askeaton, a family steeped in hunting and show jumping. Leading the fray was dad, David, who has jumped at Grand Prix level, is a well-known course builder and chairman of show jumping at Limerick Show.

He was riding a coloured belonging to the eminent UL research fellow, Dr Pat Meehan, who was standing down for the day. David’s three daughters were there to keep an eye on dad - Denise who is studying Ag Science in Tralee, Ashling studying animal science in UCD, and Libby still at school in Askeaton. A family of natural equestrians.

Another veteran in the field was Eugene O’Doherty from Newcastle West on a very smart Irish Draught, beautifully turned out with tail plaited up polo fashion.

But enough of coffee housing.

Walls galore

Hound quickly moved on to their first draw in Hanrahan’s farm at Coolnahree, just yards from the meet. A proper hunting family, young Paudie, a sixth year student in nearby Askeaton, was whipping-in, while dad Tom was also hunting, with the rest of the Hanrahan family all out on foot in a supporting role.

Walls and plenty of them are the order of the day and, in the first 10 minutes, they must have jumped at least 10 walls, as hounds hunted up and down Hanrahan’s suckler farm. Giving a good lead was former National Hunt jockey, Kevin Brouder.

He is probably best remembered for riding a double at the Dublin Racing Festival, winning the Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle and The William Fry hurdle, giving the jockey a very creditable 40 winners for the season.

However, an unusual sight and a first for this correspondent, was to see an Appaloosa coloured mule in the field, being ridden by Robbie Cronin from Newcastle West and not found wanting over the challenging walls of Stonehall.

Hounds hunted on towards the Foyne’s Road at Toomdeeley, over some smashing open walls. However, Reynard knew where he was going and found refuge in a stony crag and was given best.

Place to be

Next draw was at Massey’s Quay, where the Deel joins the mighty Shannon River Estuary. Complete with a boat yard, it makes an unusual sight in an inland county like Limerick.

While the quay and its attendant covert were blank, the best draw of the day was on hand in Andy Sheehy’s farm, which is surrounded on three sides by the estuary, but with rolling acres of old grassland and walls to match, it was the place to be.

Our field master, Theresa Sheehy, on one of her protégé horses, led the field over these walls at a pace that would not have been found wanting in a members’ race. There to greet the field was Doris Sheehy, originally from Dublin, whose love of horses brought her to Limerick, only to find love and romance once she married Andy Sheehy. Andy hunted almost into his 80s and was the vintage and the veteran of the Stonehall field for many years.

This is a fabulous sporting farm, run on traditional lines with fields big enough to train a Derby winner. Jockeys had a field day over the walls, as hounds drew and he eventually found a hospitable shore without leaving the farm.

While they drew on along the estuary towards Aughinish Alumina plant, the best was over and as the shadows lengthened, our huntsman blew for home.

It was a most enjoyable day in unique country. The Stonehalls, now in their 150th season, know how to enjoy a day’s hunting. Long may they prosper!