The Iveagh Foxhounds, Hillsborough

THE last time I visited the Iveagh Hunt was at their meet in the Kennels in Banbridge, and we had a cracking day of non-stop hunting, with great views over the hills and valleys of this drumlin country. Already this season, they have had terrific days at the Kennels, Breag, Leapogues and Loughbrickland.

On this occasion, one of the first people I met at the Iveagh Foxhounds meet at the Pheasant Restaurant in Hillsborough, Co Down was former master Bob Wilson, who was travelling with his granddaughter Sarah and her friend Dan Gilliband.

Bob has hunted all over Ireland and has the hunting stories to go with it, which are best told between friends! He still has his last hunter, retired in the paddock at his house, that is by the great stallion Master Imp, who Bob described as tough. He also had sheep on his land that he looks after for John McGinn, who also keeps sheep on Donard Mountain and who won the tv series One Man and His Dog with his collie, Mozz.

Former honorary secretary Faith Cromie and her father George, who farm near Loughbrickland, were missed at the meet as they are great supporters of the hunt. Joint master Brian McClory had just got over a ‘flu, but despite that, he turned up for duty on foot - now that’s dedication!

Former master and racehorse trainer, Sarah Dawson was getting a break before going into a busy racing season. She is putting syndicates together, which makes owning a racehorse much more affordable, with concessions on the day as well being treated to a celebratory drink if your horse wins and, of course, prize money.

Liz McDonald, who I last met at the Newry Harriers, was riding a smashing hunter. Alanna Linden was riding a lively horse for Paddy O’Rourke, who captained the Down Gaelic football team that won the Sam Maguire Cup in the All-Ireland Final in 1991 against Meath. Paddy was following on his bicycle, but said he will be on a horse next time.

Tom McCourt, former master of the Oriel Harriers, was hunting with his daughter Emily. Charlie McPoland, who visits the North Galway Foxhounds occasionally, was handling the hot beverages, which were supplied by Sarah Dawson in a fancy heated container.

Control

The joint masters, Alexander Mills and Brian McClory, were among the first to arrive. The huntsman George Barrett had 14 couple of a mixed pack out, looking hunting fit with strong backs. He explained why he has deviated from the tradition of having that extra half a couple in the pack. He realised one day that he had 14 couple of hounds at a meet and had one of the best hunting days in his career, so since that he never takes the extra half a couple and he has had consistently good sport since then.

He has a very quiet way with hounds, but they are listening to him all the time and it is noticeable that he has exceptional control. Then he has a wealth of experience, having whipped-in to the Iveagh in the past to Mark Casserly and then whipping-in to the Kilkenny Foxhounds, the Kildare Hunt, the Crawley and Horsham, as well as hunting the Carlow Farmers’ Foxhounds.

He was riding a horse that was sourced from Jim Derwin in Athlone that he described as exceptional. Michael McGraffin and Gary Hyland were whipping-in, but we missed regular whipper-in Jordan Parr, who is earning quite a reputation for producing made hunters from his yard in Newry.

The huntsman acknowledged the terrific support that he gets not alone from the joint masters, but also from Chris McDowell, Robbie Gault, Willie Murphy and particularly Nathan Dunlop, who helps him in the kennels, saying he would be lost without him.

The huntsman’s wife Belinda was travelling with their daughter Lilly, who loves being with the hounds. Following also were Kieran Kearney, Oliver Ferris, Finbar Kelly, Emily Duncan and her dog Ivy, Graham Duncan, Sandra McGraffin, Robert McCracken and Tommy Moore, whose daughter Rachel is a well-known show cob producer.

Scent

Hounds found straight away on Mackie’s farm and both Leslie Mackie and his wife Ann were enjoying the wonderful sound as hounds were away over the hill. The pack crossed near the Upper Ballynahinch Road and ran up through the valley then left-handed and on towards the Plantation, where the fox went to ground.

The huntsman took hounds back through the crossroads towards the Plantation on the hill in Annots. By now it was very windy, throwing scent about, but hounds had another customer, who was sitting tight on the move. He ran up and down the covert before he broke right with scent still patchy, but doghound Google, a Duke of Buccleuch hound, picked it up and the pack rallied to him, running in a circle right-handed, but he skipped back towards the Plantation and to ground.

The pack and followers passed by the sink holes, where in the days of linen manufacturing, flax was submerged before being spread out on the fields to dry. These look like ordinary drains with long grass on top, but they are to be avoided, as they are so deep a horse could easily be swallowed up.

Linen was in huge demand for clothing in the 20th century, but also in the building of biplanes and triplanes during WWI as, when combined with resin, it made for very light and strong wings.

Coming out by Glebe Church, they went across the road to the back of Annahilt Orange Hall in Earnie’s and I met a couple, who said that foxes prowl around behind their house at night barking. Hounds opened and the huntsman positioned himself near the gap for a good view, which we could see from the hill at the back of the village.

It was impressive that joint master Alexander Mills, showing his years of hunting experience, kept the followers well back from the huntsman and hounds, allowing them not to get distracted but still within view. This fox was up to no good, sitting tight as he had taken up residence beside a flock of ewes soon to lamb. But he had no option but to leave and ran towards the village, where he was headed on the road.

He took the same line back over the valley, dwelled in a pile of whins near the Orange Hall and exited right-handed up the hill by Shaw’s. The followers, meanwhile, jumped a bank and a drain onto the road, followed by another wide drain before they got to the pack, who were marking in the Ring Fort.

Testing

Crossing over the Annahilt to Hillsborough Road, there is a Grey Fergie TE20 tractor that marks the birthplace of the designer, Harry Ferguson. It was a gamechanger at the time, as a horse could plough an acre a day, but the Grey Fergie, launched in 1946, could plough 10 acres in a day. They continued down to Dunlop’s to heavy cover in the bog and had another fox on the move, hunting straight over the hill and down into the long valley.

He then ran across the lane into a small plantation and out over sown ground, where the pack temporarily struggled with scent in the strong wind. But the Iveagh Foxhounds’ Stradbally National Hound Show Reserve Champion Doghound Gollum picked it up and the pack rallied to him and they were away again, with the fox eventually going to ground in a small plantation.

The followers were tested, jumping a wire fence with a drain behind it and another stiff hedge with a drain in front of it and down a steep bank into a river, which claimed a few casualties. As it was getting very cold and darkness was setting in, the followers who got wet were delighted to hear the huntsman blowing for home. This was just another great day’s hunting by huntsman George Barrett and his pack, and many followers remarked to me how fortunate they are to have a huntsman of his calibre hunting their pack.

Recently, former Iveagh joint master Ronnie Duke (Master 1979-83) sadly passed away. Many will remember Ronnie and Miriam’s daughters, Sonya and the late Sherelle, both international riders who were very popular on the eventing circuit. We send our sincere condolences to Ronnie’s wife Miriam, children Sonya, Michael, Peter and all the Duke family.