The Kilkenny Foxhounds, Ballyduff Cross

THERE have been huge changes in Kilkenny since our last visit. Neill Simpson now carries the horn and does so with style. Former Tipperary Foxhounds huntsman, Simon Probin turns hounds to him and between them they must have six decades of hunting experience.

Having whipped-in to several top English packs, including the South Notts and the Grove and Rufford, Neill hunted the Avon Vale for four seasons. He then had a stint in California, where he hunted the Los Altos for master Al Schreck, whose son Tom is currently MFH in Limerick.

Meanwhile, Simon Probin comes with a wealth of experience. Brought up in the Wynstay country, he went on to show top-class sport, while hunting the “gallant” Tipps for 16 seasons.

Like Frank Sinatra, the duo were persuaded to come out of retirement to take over the famed Kilkenny Foxhounds in their hour of need. They are holding the fort for the season (and doing so with distinction), as next season sees the return of Jamie Walsh to his home county. He has spent the last 12 seasons hunting in the UK, where he is currently with the Portman in Dorset.

The changes don’t end there, with the original list of joint masters consisting of Joe O’Flynn with Fionnula Lennon, Ben Goodbody and Bertram Salter being augmented by two others.

Joe O’Flynn from Rathsallagh House Hotel, one of Ireland’s leading wedding venues, has hunting in his blood as his dad, also Joe, was for many years master of the Laois in the Rory Dicker era. Sadly, Joe senior is no longer with us.

With many of the masters living outside the hunt country, most of the horses are kept in livery with Noel Walsh and Sarah Wardell and their turnout is a credit to both and the Kilkenny Hunt.

Ben Goodbody MFH in action with the Kilkenny Foxhounds \ Catherine Power

‘Dashing Colonel’

There has been the addition of two new joint masters; George Frisby from Kilmoganny, where he was joint master until the pack were sadly disbanded. From a strong farming and bloodstock background, he practises as a civil engineer and has swapped the Green of Kilmoganny for the Scarlett of the county pack. He was out with young Hugh, aged 11, who crossed the country in style.

Returning to the mastership is Lt Col Tom Freyne, Commanding Officer of the Army Equitation School at McKee Barracks. He follows a rich tapestry of COs in the equitation school, with such seminal figures as Col Dan Corry and Major Ged O’Dwyer having previously carried the baton.

He was out with his wife Jacqui on her home-bred chesnut. Living in Fethard, the dashing Colonel has previously held office as master of both the Tipps and their neighbouring Kilkenny Foxhounds.

And there are more changes too… Sean D Rafter has stepped into the role of Hunt Chairman. A legal luminary and much sought after barrister, he brings all his legal and mediation skills to bear on running a successful and harmonious hunt. From a farming and racing background, he grew up in North Kilkenny and now hunts with the county pack. He has now been joined in the hunting field by his young son Sean William (7), who is showing all the paternal enthusiasm.

The Kilkenny Foxhounds are steeped in hunting history. Founded in the dying days of the 1700s, they were Ireland’s first county pack. However, it was in the early years of the 1900s they really shone, with the arrival of the young American hound breeder Ikey Bell as master.

It was he who broke the mould for hound breeding by introducing the Welsh-cross, revolutionising the modern foxhound breeding. Many of the old guard were outraged, but in time most packs’ bloodlines became dominated by what is now called the ‘modern hound’. While his stay in Kilkenny was brief, he was to be followed by the McCalmonts, Dermot and Victor, father and son, who between them were masters and huntsmen for over 87 seasons.

From their home in Mount Juliet, they brought an era of extraordinary opulence and professionalism to hunting in Co Kilkenny, where no expense was spared in producing the best pack of hounds in the best run hunt country to be found in these islands. Maj Dermot built a state-of-the-art kennels adjacent to Mount Juliet, where hounds remain to this day.

Rural meet

The meet was from the very rural Ballyduff Cross and the Kilkenny were joined by a visiting group from the Carmarthenshire in South Wales, led by their MFH Joe Shewry. She was accompanied by seven others mounted, with as many more on foot.

With a short few words of welcome from senior master Joe O’Flynn, our huntsman took his 12 and a half couple, a mixture of Old English and modern, to their first draw. Neill has been re-building the pack and was more than grateful for a draft of two and a half couple from the Clonmel-based White Heather, facilitated by Donie and Killian Slattery.

Hounds made the short hack before drawing right-handed in Alan Kirwan’s. Before hounds had settled, a fine dog fox was spotted slipping away and, with hounds owning the line, they crossed the road to Woodstock, a huge plantation. Reynard knew where he was going and, after some woodland hunting, he was marked to ground. It was but the beginning!

Next draw was in Steven and Mary Cotterall’s very extensive farm, with a large dairy herd and corn. Sadly, Steve who was area manager for the day, wasn’t mounted due to pressure of spring farming. However, a keener foxhunter it would be hard to find; a former amateur whipper-in to Charlie Gundry and he filled the same role with the Mullinavat, where he was first whip to Robert Kent.

Schooling

As hounds drew, field master David Dempsey was keeping order and giving hounds a chance. David, who runs a very successful stoves and boiler business, started his hunting career as a lad with the Kilkennys and has now taken on the onerous role of field master.

Before assuming high office, he was given the basics of good field mastering by no less that Nicolas Lambert, who knows more about hunting in Kilkenny than most people have forgotten.

They moved on to more Cotterall land and had some marvellous schooling over banks, which would not have been out of place in Tipperary. Here we were indebted to local photographer John Carroll, who kept us in touch with the action.

Hounds went on to draw the New Line, which extends for a couple of miles of low-lying covert. As hounds drew, the field had a feast of jumping, popping into the river Arrigal in numerous places.

All the while, they were making their way back towards Ballyduff Cross and eventually our huntsman blew for home.

Hospitality awaited in the Salmon Pool pub, just on the bridge in Thomastown. Here the day was recalled with songs sung with the Welsh Valleys in good voice, fences jumped and feats of valour recalled.