AFTER all those dreary days of lockdown, it was such a privilege to be able to make the trip to Clonshire to see the County Limerick Foxhounds.

There can be few places in Ireland, or indeed further afield, more in tune with the world of the horse and particularly foxhunting. As we drove through the park, there were a couple of riders having a school over a few of the many schooling fences there.

However, our mission was much more important as we had a lunchtime appointment to see the famed County Limerick Foxhounds in their kennels, strategically located in the middle of the park. The weather gods were smiling as we met huntsman Fergus Stokes and his whipper-in, David Beecher.

Before the important business of the day could begin, we had to eat a generous slice of Fergus’ mother’s best apple tart which was first class.

Fergus, now in his 10th season, and young David in his third, make a great team and produce some terrific hunting over what must be one of the great and most challenging hunt countries anywhere.

Fergus comes from the heart of Duhallow country and saw practice under that master of venery, the late and much lamented Ger Withers. Like Duhallow, Limerick are very much Old English, bred on Belvoir lines, first introduced by Lord Daresbury after the war.

Meanwhile, young David was brought up in Tallow (west Waterford) and comes from a family famed in the world of hunting and show jumping.

It was such a pleasure to walk out with hounds on the park, just 51 and a half couple, and didn’t they look a picture. Every one of them with coats gleaming and if ever I saw a happy pack of hounds, it was they. The father of the pack was also out and never too far from Fergus – Porter, now in his 10th season. But when Fergus is in trouble with scant scent, the hound he looks to is Spartan who has shown such terrific work. Home-bred, he is by Sizzler out of Tapdance.

Hounds and huntsmen just can’t wait until September, the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, when autumn hunting, that special time known only to true hunting enthusiasts, can begin. Roll on!