It’s a long way from Clare to here
It’s a long way from Clare to here
It’s a long, long way, it grows further by the day
THE words of the Ralph McTell ballad ran through our ears as we crossed the Shannon from the placid plains of Limerick to the rugged landscape of Co Clare, ranging from the crags of west Clare to the galloping walls of Quin.
However, our venue for the opening meet was the small market town of Tulla, well into east Clare. A most sporting borough, it hosts meets of both the East Clare Harriers and the county pack, the Co Clare Hunt.
Minogue’s pub directly opposite the old courthouse was the spot to be and, with good cheer and friendly advice (“mind the drop from the wall below in Liddy’s”) being given freely, it had the makings of a special day.
Sadly, the weather Gods were un-friendly and the weather ranged from a dense mist to flat out rain. Our huntsman, Paddy Considine, and his team were undeterred. Paddy, now in his fourth season, has a great team around him and first among equals has to be his better half Aoibhinn, who crosses the country like a swallow.
Both were riding smashing greys, who were really on their toes; Paddy’s grey being on loan from Jamie Arthur. To complete the team were whipper-in Paul Kilkenny, on a business-like black cob, and electrical contractor Ronan Lynch.
Missing, but out on foot, was young David Frost, who was preparing himself for a trip to the Big Apple the following morning. Also out was Tom Lane, son of former IFA president Paddy Lane from Quinpool, and his daughter Aine, who is following the family tradition in studying veterinary in UCD.
The Frosts from near Bunratty were further represented by Paul (father of David) and his uncle Pat. Sadly, the family had a recent bereavement, as Paul and Pat’s brother George passed away long before his time, just a few short weeks ago.
No day in Clare would be complete without that hunting legend Pat “Ardsolus” Hannon, who hunted right up to his mid-80s. He was very much out, but with his faithful grey ridden by his daughter Julie-Ann, who lives in Ward Union country. From the racing world came Sarah Costello, daughter of Dermot and grand-daughter of the famous Tom Costello of Best Mate fame.
Sarah Costello at the Co Clare Foxhounds meet at Tulla \ Catherine Power
A brief photo call outside Tulla’s most historic building, the Old Court House and, as the church bell struck the mid-day angelus, the day and the season commenced.
Shannon meet
However, with almost incessant rain and another day to cover, we will press on to Thursday and, with a lovely crisp autumnal day, hounds again met at the colourfully named Honk Bar, just outside Shannon. As rural as there is to be found in the Co Clare, yet the front door of the pub is no more than three fields from the control tower and runway number one at Shannon Airport.
It is known locally as the nearest pub to New York, such is its affinity to Shannon International. Owned and run by the genial couple, John and Mary Quinlivan, they informed that they are the eighth generation of the family since the 1600s to run the pub.
Kevin Coffey, Pat Frost, David McCarthy and Raymond Lynch at the Co Clare Foxhounds meet at Tulla \ Catherine Power
It was a who’s who day in Clare, with many of the former masters and chairmen out, either on foot or mounted. Former and current chairmen, father and son (and both engineers), Tadgh O’Regan and his dad Declan were on foot. Another former chairman out and going well was Kevin Coffey from Daragh near Ennis.
Never missing a day with the county pack and field masters on the day were Dereck and Pauline Burke, who first started hunting with Clare when they were hunted by Christy Sparling all the way back to the 1980s.
The two McCarthy cousins both in construction, Brian and David, were there, as was the huntsman’s brother Tommy Considine and visiting American MFH, Leah Haggerty-Clarke.
Take off
The sound of the hunting horn was blanked out by the roar of a mighty Airbus A380 taking off in the next field or so, as our huntsman moved off with no less than 25 and a half couple to the first draw. This number of hounds has to be something of a record in my experience, but as they were hemmed in by the estuary and the impregnable airport fencing, it seemed like an ideal opportunity to give young hounds a day out.
Sean Donellan’s hill was the first draw overlooking the airport and his partner Jessica Byrne showed the way over a couple of really decent drop walls.
Hounds drew the almost endless cover and, with encouraging calls from our huntsman, it was the second season bitch Hornet (by Grove and Rufford Honey), who opened and a fine dog fox appeared and set his mask for America, or at least the furthest point of the peninsula reaching far out into the estuary.
This is a bit of old-fashioned country, with no intensive farming, which hasn’t seen a bag of fertiliser since Rineanna became Shannon Airport back in 1947!
Horses, riders and hounds were able to take on the marvellous walls with the occasional trench as they liked, until Reynard found a welcoming refuge on the outer shores of the Shannon. Not found wanting across the challenging country were father and daughter team Dereck Murphy, who is an electrician and his daughter Ruby from Scariff.
Hounds drew on, but the best was over and eventually, even this unique landscape had to be bid farewell, as they made the hack back to The Honk Bar, where proper Co Clare hospitality awaited.
And the unusual and unique pub name? Well, our patron told me it came from sound of the wild geese, as they honked while flying in formation returning in their thousands to the estuarial mud flats.
The team
Chairman: Tadgh O’Regan
Honorary Secretary: Cathal McMahon
Treasurer: Edel McMahon
Huntsman: Paddy Considine
Field masters: Dermot Considine, Darragh Hasset, Jamesy Arthur
Whippers-in: David Frost, Paul Kilkenny, Ronan Lynch
Countryman: Pat Lynch
Point-to-point secretary: Paul O’Neill
Meets: Thursday 12 noon/Sunday 12.30pm
History
Founded in 1890, they were originally designated as harriers before assuming the dual mandate of foxhounds and harriers in the 80s and continuing to hunt in green. Their founding master was Major Hickman of Fenloe House, who was also a great racing man. Fenloe continued its racing connection under the ownership of the late Tom Costello, who produced five Gold Cup winners including Best Mate, surely a record which will never be beaten. Jimmo Quinn later became master and huntsman, before passing over to Gerry Burke and Matty Green, among others.