THERE was a large turnout for showhorse producers Kieran and Mairead Ryan’s lawn meet for the Goldburn Beagles at their Cabragh Lodge Farm in Oldtown, north County Dublin, which has produced a succession of Dublin Horse Show champions over the years. Kieran is not only an honorary whipper-in to the Ward Union Staghounds, but also joint-master of the Louth Foxhounds. His wife Mairead (Curran) many will remember representing Ireland in eventing on her horse Watercolour particularly in the European Championships in Punchestown.

After refreshments, the Goldburn huntsman Michael Lynch, whose father Andy whipped into the Wards for over 30 seasons and was travelling head man for trainer Noel Meade, and Goldburn master Aileen Williams Byrne and some 60 followers set off across Ryans farm and then on to Laurence Wards who is also a keen hunt follower of the Ward Union. His son John Denis and the Ryan twins Ivan and James joined Colin Byrne, Mervyn Williams, Gaz Byrne and James Ryan on whipping-in duties.

It was reassuring to see so many young people hunting when one considers a statistic published in The Sunday Times last weekend that, ‘more than three-quarters of the children in the UK now spend less time outdoors than prison inmates’!

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Men’s Sheds

MINISTER for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring, opened the 400th Men’s Shed in Kilcock, Co Kildare, on Wednesday. The growth of Men’s Sheds since 2011 nationwide has been a great success story with over 10,000 members nationwide.

Minister Ring is providing €15,000 in funding towards the buying of IT and communications equipment for the Irish Men’s Sheds Association (IMSA). The Kilock Men’s Shed offers woodwork, gardening, healthy cooking courses, computer courses and CPR training.

IMSA CEO, Barry Sheridan, said: “2017 has been a particularly memorable year for men’s sheds in Ireland. We’re now reaching 10,000 men across more than 400 sheds throughout the country.

“That’s having a transformative impact on men, families and communities in every county on the island.”