AT the Ballymacad Foxhounds meet at Oldcastle, champagne corks were flying, glasses were clinking and the best kept secret was about to be revealed as a large crowd of hunt followers and supporters gathered at Gary and Jackie O’Neill’s Bar and Guesthouse in Oldcastle, a favourite base for hunting visitors from home and abroad. It is not every day that there is a triple hunt celebration, and not every day that champagne is flowing at 10am but the Ballymacad Foxhounds always had that touch of class!

The special occasion was to mark the 25th anniversary of the two joint-masters Thosh Kellett, the largest employer in Oldcastle with 180 employees working in his company Respa Beds, and Jim Stevenson, a property developer from Co Down, who have been the steady hands on the tiller making the Ballymacads such a prestigious hunt that hunting visitors always have at the top of their bucket list.

It all goes back to a chance meeting for Jim when his home pack, the Iveagh Foxhounds who he hunted with since he was 10 years old, cancelled a meet because of bad weather on St Stephen’s Day 28 years ago. Ronnie Dukes from the Iveaghs had been master of the Ballymacads so there was a relationship between both hunts. Jim arrived at Thosh Kellett’s house in Oldcastle enquiring if it was possible to hunt on the day, and three years later, the two were invited to become joint-masters, and have kept the show on the road ever since. Jim is host to the Tullylease Horse Trials held on his farm, and his wife Brona and son Adam hunt also.

The other celebration was to mark Kevin Donohue’s 20th season as huntsman having taken over from his father Barry. Donohue is the real deal, a prize-winning hound breeder, a producer of top-class hunters that carry the hunt staff of many hunts in both Ireland and Britain, and one of the highest rated huntsman in these islands. His family have been hunting the Ballymacad Foxhounds for over 100 years, Larry Donohue from 1910, Paddy took over in 1930, and then Peter in 1937 for 35 seasons. And that is not all as his father Barry hunted the pack from 1976 for 26 seasons and now Kevin for 20 seasons, so far!

The toast was proposed by Gary O’Neill who remarked how fortunate the Ballymacad Foxhounds followers were to have two such popular masters, and such a long serving huntsman. And this was reiterated by Johnny Bonham in the town square to the mounted followers and friends. Sustained periods in office are standard in the Ballymacads as honorary whipper-in Bobby Kellett has served for the last 24 seasons also. With the speeches finished and champagne downed, it was time to get the next 25 years under way. Whipper-in Maurice Quinn was unfortunately not on horseback after an operation on his shoulder as a result of an injury autumn hunting, but that has not stopped him crossing the fields on foot supporting the huntsman. He expects to be back after Christmas. It was also the first day for Tommy Moran, who came through the Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association Bursary Scheme, to wear the coveted green coat of the Ballymacads as whipper-in.

At the meet early was American Charlie Noell, owner of Ardbraccan House and Merribelle Farms, in Meath and Maryland, USA, respectively. Not alone has he a string of Irish hunters in Ireland, but also he has Loughnatousa Junior, a hunter produced by Tim Beecher in Waterford, and another from Dermot Ryan that he hunts in Maryland. Also hunting were Serena Williams and side saddle exponent Sarah Meehan, who turns horses out impeccably. Her husband Mark is honorary secretary of the Ballys.

On horseback were Ciara and Eimear O’Neill. Sarah Lynham from Tattersalls, Colin Crowe, Michael Bevan, who was a master with the Fermanagh Harriers, and Georgie Bough, who has hunted for 48 seasons, got a new hip recently and is going better than ever. Martin Farrell, whose son Aaron whips into the Blazers, was hunting with his daughters Katelynn and Meggan as well as Cian Tully, Edel Tuite, Megann Gerard, Carol Owens and her father Justin as well as Audrey McDermott and Niamh Hoey. Mary Jane Roberts who has a couple of point-to-point wins to her credit was on a smashing coloured 17hh by Golden Lariat that stands at the Carey family’s Tullaghansleek Stud in Co Westmeath. The stallion is by Mr Prospector and the dam is by champion sire Sadler’s Wells. Young Leo McCann, who started on a Shetland pony a few years ago, has upgraded. There were a lot of children following, including the huntsman’s daughters Brianne and Aoidhinn and their friend Holly Farrelly. Long-serving follower Philip Sheridan was out as well as Jim Coote, Brendan Tully and Nick Browne. As the followers moved off, the team of Nobby Halpin, Brendan Tully and Christopher Clinton had a wheelie bin and yard brushes to remove all signs of horses in the town.

HUNTING

Field-master Ken Farrelly led the large field away. It was always going to a tough day for the huntsman but he had support from kennel huntsman Alan Keogan who produces hunters and showjumpers, as does his father Paul, and showjumper Alexander Butler and Eoin Clinton. The direction of the meet had to be changed three times as there were so many cattle still out. In addition, scent was almost non-existent in the open but if a line could be held then Donohue’s hounds would do the business. He won the Champion Doghound and the Supreme Championship with Rio at the Flavours of Fingal Hound Show, and took the Champion Bitch Class at the National Hound Show at Stradbally County Laois with Matra.

A short hack from Oldcastle took them to McShane’s Plantation which is always a sure find but despite hounds covering every inch, there was nobody home. They passed former masters Tony and Neenie Cameron’s farm on the way to Millbrook, and it was great to hear hounds opening with the usual Ballymacad power in their voices. Eventually they were all on and the music was terrific as this fox challenged them up and down the long wood but he eventually decided to go to ground. Martin Smith, whose father John was a distinguished master and huntsman, and his daughter Leslie were up from the Westmeath Foxhounds. I met John Culligan and Paul Smith on road. John’s two nephews Colm and Ian McKeever operate horse carriages in New York. John has driven a carriage down Broadway and to prove horses are not colourblind, he assured me that the horse always stopped at a red light and moved off at a green without any encouragement!

Gerry McDermott’s Friesian cows admired the followers as they passed on the way to Moylagh Blackthorns. The 13th century ruins of Moylagh Tower House and Castle holds a special place in the history of the Ballymacads, as the symbol appears on the crest of the Ballymacad Hunt. It was occupied by the Barnwell family up to the 17th century. Brian McCormack, known as Brian Bawn, died while huntsman in 1751. He requested to be buried standing up in full view of Ballymacads so he could continue to have ‘sight of’ a well-known run from the Grennans to Loughcrew! Another Ballymacad huntsman Charlie Bowles, who hunted the pack for 50 seasons, asked to be buried near the kennels so hounds could regularly run over his grave! His son Tommy succeeded him as huntsman.

The covert in John Flood’s did not hold but hounds hunted a line over Murrans and at Connell’s Hill, hounds found again but poor scent was acting against them so the huntsman blew for home.

If you want to see champagne corks fly again, book into their hunt Ball on December 28th, or the Ballymacad ‘Simulated Game Shooting Day’ next year. It starts with breakfast prepared by Michelin Star chef Richard Corrigan who will also prepare dinner at his Virginia Park Hotel. Don’t forget about the hunt calendar, which I can assure you is very different! I can say no more!

HISTORY

The hunt was founded in 1735 by the Sherbourne family of Loughcrew and named the Ballymacad Foxhounds in 1797.

BALLYMACAD FOXHOUNDS

Chairman: Kim Farrelly

Masters: Thosh Kellett and Jim Stevenson

Huntsman: Kevin Donohue

Whipper-in: Bobby Kellett, Maurice Quinn and Tommy Moran

Kennel huntsman: Alan Keogan

Field-master: Ken Farrelly

Honorary secretary: Mark Meehan