ALTHOUGH the life of that well known master of hounds, the late Thady Ryan, is well chronicled in two interesting books, The Ryan Family and the Scarteen Hounds by Michael MacEwan, and Thady’s own book My Privileged Life, I had the opportunity to meet up with him following a meet on Knocklong Hill. He was such pleasant company that time passed very quickly when discussing hounds and hunting. Thady had a passion for the chase, a close knit family, and his admiration for the farming community was boundless, the outdoor life and his spirituality.

The Kerry Beagle

The Kerry Beagles have been hunted by the Ryan family since the 1640s, and their origins, some say, go back to hounds that swam ashore from the ships of the Spanish Armada in 1588. Other more debatable theories are that they escaped from Noah’s Ark when it rested up against the Galtymore Mountains! However, Thady maintained that they originated in France from the Gascon Hound, going back to the Hounds of Saint Hubert. Today, they have very close bloodlines to the Kerry Beagles, that are hunted on foot in the Kerry Mountains, and the organisers host an annual Kerry Beagle Hound Show in Kerry. Hunting them is very different to hunting a Modern or Old English Hound, and they work best when the huntsman adapts to them.

Early days

Thady’s first hunt was when he was seven years old and he continued to hunt, as school terms allowed, before he attended Ampleforth College in Yorkshire where he was master and huntsman to kennel huntsman Jack Welch. He got his first introduction the Peterborough Hound Show, producing Ampleforth Ringwood to win the Championship. Later he was invited to judge at the show.

Thady became joint-master of the Scarteen in 1946 and hunted the pack for 40 seasons with Tommy Dwyer who worked in Scarteen for over 50 seasons whipping-in. In 1986 he handed the horn over to his son Chris, a fine huntsman and horseman, having ridden winners between the flags. Thady recalled a few stories from his hunting days, like when hounds were hunting hard at the back of Scarteen followiing a fox across the railway line. His father John had the key to the gate of the crossing, but being a devout Roman Catholic, the key entangled in his rosary beads. An English visitor, observing his fumbling for the key on his return home, informed his friends that Master John Ryan had mystical powers as he opened a gate with his rosary beads. He described the famous Black Ditch to me as being so wide that a rider would have the time to recite the Lord’s Prayer from take-off to landing.

Thady's son, Chris Ryan, sharing a special moment with one of his Scarteen hounds, at the end of a great day at Emly, pictured in 2013 \ Siobhan English Photography

Favourite horse

Thady had many wonderful hunters, but one in particular stood out and that was Jacko, bred in Millstreet, and bought as a three-year-old by Noel C. Duggan who produced horses that went on to be international showjumpers, such as Millstreet Ruby and Millstreet Pearl. He was then bought by James Breen at Tallow Fair, who phoned Thady and described the horse to him as, ‘just your handwriting’. The horse went on to hunt until he was 28 years old. Another horse was The Villian, purchased from international eventer and top amateur race rider Alan Lillingston.

Thady was chef d’equipe of the Irish eventing team that travelled to the Olympic Games in both Tokyo and Mexico. One of the best horses ever to event for Ireland was Durlas Eile, ridden by Major Eddie Boylan. The horse went on to win a Championship in Dublin when he was with the Army Equitation School as well as the World Championship in Burghley and a European Championship with team members Virginia Freeman Jackson, Tommy Brennan and Penny Morton. He was bred by Fr. Sweeney in Thurles and was by the thoroughbred Artist’s Son, sire of the 1955 Grand National winner Quare Times.

Favourite hound

Juggler was Thady’s favourite hound and they both had a great understanding of each other. One day at Garrydulas, Juggler decided to draw a stretch of bog, but before he went into the furze, he looked around at Thady as if to say, ‘there is a fox in there – will I go ahead?’ Thady nodded and the hound dived into the covert and had the fox on the move. Another favourite hound was Hyder, by Highlight, who had a profound influence on Scarteen hound bloodlines.

Packs and Hunt Chase

Thady had huge respect for the Kerry Footpacks as he considered their followers exceptional sportsmen who were extremely knowledgeable on hunting. He also admired Tom and Elsie Morgan, who hunted the West Waterford Hounds, and they would occasionally have a joint-meet with Elsie’s white hounds, mainly College Valley and Border breeding. Thady had no hesitation in saying that his son, Chris, was his favourite huntsman.

The concept of the popular hunt chase came about when Thady was judging at Charleville Show and met up with former international event rider Van de Vater, master of the United Hounds. Thady said that he wanted to think of a new event for the Dublin Horse Show. Van replied that whatever he came up with had to have an association with hunting.

Thady sat down with his wife Anne, who was originally from New Zealand, and they explored various ides and came up with the Hunt Chase which they put to the RDS Show committee. The committee suggested that they go away and raise sponsorship, which was duly offered by the Quinnsworth Supermarket chain. It was a huge success, and has gone from strength to strength and attracts hunt followers from all over the country and abroad. The atmosphere is just electric in the finals. It has also become a feature event at rural shows where the qualifiers are held as well as being a hit in Britain, especially the Royal Show at Stoneleigh.

Boards and Associations

Thady Ryan was an innovator, a promoter of the Irish Sport Horse, and he would have been proud to see his son Chris, who has produced so many top horses himself, including the American Olympic eventing silver medal winner McKinlaigh, on the board of the Traditional Irish Horse Association. Thady was a founding member of the Irish Horse Board and travelled the world on behalf of the board. He was made an honorary life member of the Royal Dublin Society for his contribution to the Society and along iwith his innovations – the Hunt Chase, the Breeders’ Championship – he was a popular commentator in the Parade of Champions, led by the hunt staff and hounds of a different pack each year.

Retirement

Thady Ryan retired to his wife Anne’s home country of New Zealand, as promised in consideration of her supporting him during his career hunting the famous Scarteen Hounds in Ireland. However, he was intent on keeping up with his interest of breeding Irish horses in New Zealand. So he shipped out an Irish Draught stallion, Kingsway Diamond, by King of Diamonds, and two fillies - Kilmanagh Banrion and Night Errand. On the flight to New Zealand, their two terriers, Chilli and Chips, travelled in the hold of the plane. Little did they know that the hold also held a consignment of 300 Angora rabbits in a wire container.

Needless to say, the terriers’ early education came into play and on arrival at Christchurch on South Island, there was a bit of tidying up to be done as the terriers had dined well overnight when they got into the wire container! Thady remarked proudly that it was the first recorded hunt at 35,000 feet!

He missed the fox which does not inhabit New Zealand, so he hunted occasionally in Australia with the Oakland Hounds, outside Melbourne, and was guest speaker at their centenary anniversary dinner. I had the privilege, along with my wife, of staying with Thady and Anne in Timuka in South Island and enjoyed his hunting stories and witticisms. After dinner, he asked me (when I was passing the butter knife) if I knew the definition of a gentleman? He informed me that a gentleman is a man who uses his butter knife even when he is dining on his own!

He continued to judge horse and hound shows in Australia and New Zealand, but liked nothing better than judging small packs in Kerry and Cork and returning for the Dublin Horse Show.

Sadly, Thady passed away in New Zealand in 2004.