RUAN has form…for many years I had heard tales of this west Clare village.

In hunting terms, it was held in some awe. It is generally agreed among the handlers in Co Clare that to hunt in Ruan a horse needs to be able to jump a clear round on a 1.20m course. So naturally when the opportunity arose to make a pre-Christmas visit, I jumped at it like a claiming jockey been offered a ride in the Gold Cup.

The small sporting village of Ruan lies somewhere between Ennis and the Burren, with Atlantic breezes on one cheek and the unique scents of the Burren on the other…..paradise personified!

Since last season Declan Moran has retired as huntsman and he and Gillian showed great sport during their tenure. We can but wish them well. Paddy Considine from Spancil Hill has stepped up to the plate and is bursting with enthusiasm. He and his family have been hunting with the Clares all their lives.

A farrier by profession, he spent last season as first whipper-in to the South Tyrone under the watchful and approving eye of huntsman Ryan Carvill. By all accounts he came through with flying colours. His two brothers, Tommy and Dermot, were also out and well mounted.

Like all good huntsmen, he comes as a package with his partner Aoibhinn Bannon, originally from Sixmilebridge, who is as keen a hunting girl and outstanding cross-country rider as there is to be found. He loves the Co Clare kennels at Ballynacally and refers to it as the best in Ireland, being purpose built and located down a long laneway on the shores of the mighty Shannon Estuary but at the same time being only a stone’s throw from Ennis.

There is also a new chairman/master, Kieran Frost from Bunratty, whose son David has joined the team of whippers-in. Evelyn Hannon- Linnane has taken over the role as hunt secretary. She is the daughter of hunt stalwart and well known bloodstock breeder Pat Hannon from Newmarket-on-Fergus, while Edel McMahon from Quin is the new treasurer. Paul O’Neill remains as point-to-point secretary.

Kieran Frost and his family have been associated with the Clare Hunt for longer than anyone can remember, and hounds were originally kennelled on their farm near Bunratty. The family were further represented by his brother Pat, riding a horse of Johnny Geoghegan’s who had also brought a horse for Karl King from Shannon. Johnny is currently field-master to the Blazers.

In normal times, the meet would have been held in the village of Ruan but in keeping with current guidelines, it had been moved to Alan and Ralph Morgan’s farm just about a mile from the village. There is loads of parking in the extensive farmyard with all-weather lunging rings nearby. Both the Morgan brothers were mounted and had acted as area managers for the day.

IMFHA advice

The meet was as much a gala occasion as the Covid protocols would allow. Almost on a daily basis, stern directives arrive from the IMFHA advising all on best practice to be followed on hunting days. While this at times may seem excessive, in reality these directives have to be welcomed as we are living in the strangest of times and we must count ourselves very lucky to able to hunt at all.

The addition of James Norton to the hunting front bench can only be a positive move and I’m sure his input and lateral thinking will be crucial in seeing that hunting can face the many challenges which inevitably lie ahead.

It was surreal to see the field mounted and masked up and, for a moment, one could be forgiven for thinking that you had dropped in on a Lone Ranger Convention. Visiting from Galway was former Blazers’ joint-master Dr Rose Dempsey, though as you might expect there was a total absence of foreign visitors who normally make up a significant portion of the Clare field.

The famed Clare family of the Costellos were well represented by former point-to-point champion Dermot with his two daughters Emily and Sarah along with his nieces (Adrian’s daughters) Clodagh and Orlaith.

All too soon the saddling bell sounded and huntsman Paddy Considine, in his inaugural season, arrived with 20 and a half couple who looked as if they could do the business. Not only did they look fit but more importantly, they looked happy and obviously at one with their huntsman.

He is a fan of hounds bred on modern lines. South Tyrone huntsman Ryan Carvill had sent him several couple as did the Grove and Rufford augmented by drafts from Kenny Henry of the Meath. Well-mounted, he was on a fifth season mare by the show jumping sire Chippison who was passed on to him on the basis that she was almost unrideable. Chippison was jumped at the highest level by Clare’s own Marie Burke. Meanwhile Aoibhinn was riding a nice bay by Huntingfield Heathcliffe.

Our field-masters for the day were Jamesey Arthur and Darragh Hasset who is one of the West of Ireland’s leading solicitors. After the statutory photographs, hounds moved off to the first draw at Tommy Cobett’s who was riding on the day. They drew on through Christy O’Connor’s towards Dromore lake where they found but after a couple of fields, he was marked to ground in Kelly’s of Port.

Next draw was McNulty’s where hounds opened almost immediately but the first or second fence was a stiff and stern stand of sheep wire. Huntsman and debutante whipper-in David Frost flew over it (well David is an aircraft engineer after all). The field wisely thought better of it and took a safer but slower route.

They drew on through Hogan’s smashing farm before crossing over to Hehir’s which surprisingly was blank. But the best was still to come in Cooga which has some of the best walls this side of Athenry. Hounds showed interest in a particularly thorny thicket of Blackthorn but it was Lydia, a fourth season hound, by a North Cotswold sire out of an American bitch who came from Ben Hardaway in the Midland Hunt Georgia who had our pilot afoot.

As hounds rallied to her, our pilot was viewed away by whipper-in Paul Kilkenny and foot followers were treated to a jumping fest as the field took on the stiff walls. It wasn’t all a clear round for all. Ava Corbett just met one wrong but her horse seemed intent on staying up with hounds, minus a jockey. Luckily her dad, Tommy Corbett was on hand and gallantly pursued her horse as Ava made the best progress she could on foot. He was rounded up eventually and jockey and horse were re-united, none the worse for their experience.

Stunning country

Foot followers were treated to a view to die for - fox, hounds and field all in view taking on walls, not short of puissance level. The country was so open that the field had split into groups, probably according to ability. While others were jumping more modest spots, I was particularly struck by Susan Arthur on her Grange Bouncer who took on a Mauser of a wall, garlanded with briars and gave it a clear pair of heels. I stood into it and it was at least 1.30m and built like a fortress. She also rides side saddle to great effect.

Hound hunted on with the field well spread out with veteran whipper-in Joe Coffee showing the way. Joe has been in office since Pat Lynch carried the horn. As luck would have it, our pilot made his way to a welcoming mound of boulders located not far from Morgan’s farm which made a fitting end to a smashing day.

Catherine and I would like to wish all our hunting friends from The Irish Field a very happy Christmas and above all, a Covid-free new year!