History

The hunt was formed in 1894 and it was reported that a deer was hunted through the city, across the river Shannon.

Meets: Saturday and Wednesday at 11am. Visitors welcome by arrangement.

Former Masters

P McDonough 1914-23, Malcolm Shaw 1914-40, Michael O’Brien-Kelly 1950-51, Harry Russell 1953-60, Desmond Hodgins MRCVS 1960-64, John Power 1964-66, Ml Walshe 1966-73, Davy O’Meara 1975-89, Gerry Gleeson 1974-98

The team

Kennels: Grange, Co Limerick.

Chairman: John McNamara

Vice Chairman: Pat Bermingham

Joint masters: John McNamara, Michael Mullane, Gary McCarthy, Sean O’Donovan

Hon secretary: Marie Wheeler

Point-to-point and hunter trial secretary: Marie Wheeler

Treasurer: Christopher McNamara

Field master: Michael Mullane MH, Sean Smith

Huntsman: Padraic Behan

Whippers-in: Gerry Murphy, Dessie Lenihan, Myles Harney, Dominic Furnell

Country hunted: Co Limerick, west of the Limerick/Kilmallock road.

IT was touch and go whether or not the Limerick Harriers would hunt at all on the day we visited at Hunting Lodge. The weather forecasters, to a man, were predicting dire and dreadful weather.

The other three Limerick packs had cancelled, but the Limerick Harriers are made of sterner stuff. The car park of the appropriately named Hunting Lodge was brimming over with horses and boxes, none deterred by the weather men.

Padraic Behan has now carried the horn for over 10 seasons as an amateur. In the interim, he has produced outstanding sport and has built up a large number of hunting admirers from far and wide. He and kennel huntsman, Brian O’Leary, who also hunts the Fedamore Harriers on foot, had hounds in tip-top condition. Padraic puts in a huge effort - walking land, seeing farmers and countless hours in the kennels.

The only allowance made was to delay move off until 12 midday and, as the angelus could be heard tolling, our huntsman was enlarging his hounds and making the short hack to his first draw at Hannan’s Farm. Up to a couple of seasons ago, the family would have been represented with three or four riders, including Audrey, but careers and college have meant that no family are actively taking part at the moment. However, the same sporting welcome remains, with both John and Audrey out to welcome hounds.

Baptism of fire

However, before hounds had even left the road, a brace of travelling foxes were spotted and hounds spoke straight away. While the brace separated, with one running for Rockstown Castle, his companion set his mask for Skule Hill.

The very first fence of the day was a really decent bank, with a yawner to the rear with a really good drop. It was a baptism of fire for Cork visitor and pharmacist, Claire Collins, who had travelled with Corrine Hyde from Glanmire. Also making the trip was Alison Byrne and Mick Manning.

The youngest rider on the day at Sheehan’s Cross was nine-year-old Sean Foster, pictured with his dad Jim Foster, enjoying a day with the Limerick Harriers \ Catherine Power

Area manager for the day, Chris McNamara, gave a smashing display, as did joint master Michael Mullane from Bruree. The Mullane family were well-represented, as his wife Linda and their two daughters, Ciara and Sophie, as well their son TJ, were all going well. Whipper-in Myles Harney on his good chesnut gave a particularly spectacular jump from the very top.

Not found wanting over the big bank was the youngest rider of the day, young Sean Foster, all of nine years, on his good pony, with dad Jim giving a lead. The Fosters from Fedamore are a dyed in the wool hunting family and Anne Foster is the hard-working secretary of the neighbouring Stonehall Harriers. Likewise, grandfather Willie, who hunted for well over 50 seasons, never misses a day in his jeep.

Key players

Hounds ran hard for McNamara’s semi-mature conifer plantation. A really decent board of works trench had first to be negotiated but, after an exceptionally dry week, it wasn’t quite as much of a canal as usual.

The McNamara’s are very much key players in the Limerick Harriers, with dad, John Snr, master and hunt chairman. While he no longer rides to hounds, he never misses a day in the jeep, often with a grandchild or two as co-pilots. His daughter Danielle is married to whipper-in, Dessie Lenihan. They run a very successful hunting yard near Ballingarry, where they produce a stream of high-class hunters.

Christopher McNamara, hunt treasurer, was area manager for the day and had put in a lot of work to ensure a good open draw for hounds all day.

At this stage, Corrine Hyde and her group got separated from the field in the plantation, much to the alarm of the pharmaceutical newcomer. However, Corrine assured her that she always carried a flare for just such an eventuality!

Everyone eventually found their way through Sitka maze, as hounds crossed the road and ran for Grange corcise. Corcise is a particular Limerick word to describe a large area of low-lying land associated with a major river. However, when faced with several miles of flat land, he swung left-handed and found a welcoming shore in Flavin’s plantation.

By this stage, stragglers had caught up and our huntsman took hounds on to draw Ryan’s plantation, which did not have a resident on the day.

Hounds drew on through Carmody’s before ending in Tim Connolly’s sporting farm. In times gone by, it would have bustling with hunters and point-to-pointers, but sadly those days are long gone.

Adventurous

With plenty covert nearby, hounds drew on and a brace were afoot, with one running back in the direction from where they had travelled. His companion, however, was more adventurous and gave hounds a grand spin over some really decent jumping, until he found a welcoming earth just short of Bulfin’s plantation.

Padraig gathered up his hounds and made the short hack to Gary McCarthy’s farm in Glenogra. Gary had sportingly stood down for the day, opting to stay on foot to help with the fencing. He runs an extensive dairy farm, but one littered with hunt jumps.

Hounds drew down by the Camog (a tributary of the River Maigue) and it wasn’t long before the pack opened and a fine dog fox was afoot. After taking the pack on a guided tour of the farm, he set his mask for Lough Gur back over the way they had already hunted.

Wisely, our huntsman stopped hounds and, with his pack “all on”, it was the end of the day.

Under difficult circumstances when most other packs didn’t venture out at all, huntsman Padraig Behan and his whippers-in must be complimented for producing a most enjoyable day’s hunting for all who took part.

The Hunting Lodge lived up to its name and had suitable refreshments for returning foxhunters.