KENNEDY’S of Puckane was our venue last Saturday for a meet of the North Tipperary Foxhounds. Not surprisingly, Kennedy’s is the local and, as we arrived, the lounge was humming with jockeys of every age all eager for the day ahead. Kennedy’s is a famous haunt for musicians - Christy Moore is a regular, as was the late Shane McGowan.

Foot-followers were in abundance and it was great to meet North Tipp stalwarts, such as Colin Bravery, who came from Sussex 30 years ago, lost his return ticket and never left. Never missing a day with the county pack in Joe Townsend, former master and huntsman of the Hurworth in North Yorkshire. Brought up in the village of Heythrop from a non-hunting family, as a lad he got a scholarship to Gordonstoun, Scotland, where he was a classmate of HRH Prince Charles. The hunting world honoured him last summer, as he was nominated as judge of the Old English classes in Peterborough, a role he shared with Will Brier, now master and huntsman of the Beaufort.

During school holidays, Joe came to the attention of the Heythrop MFH, the legendary Capt Ronnie Wallace, known in the hunting world as “GOD”. Under his tutelage, his interest and hunting skills blossomed and, on leaving school, there was but one career for him, hunt service. On his retirement and recovering from a case of hunting scarlet fever and with Tony Blair in the offing, he came to North Tipperary, where he has become a father figure to the hunt.

Master and huntsman Denis O’Sullivan started his hunting career in the Kingdom (of Kerry), where his father was founding chairman of the North Kerry harriers. Despite an academic career being on offer, he chose the better part to become huntsman of the Ormond Foxhounds in Offaly. On the retirement of Denis Gilmartin, he was offered the position and made the inter-county shift from Offaly to North Tipperary.

Since we first visited North Tipp, one couple has always stood out, Declan and Dymphna Carroll from Clonakenny, where we have hunted with the neighbouring Golden Vale FH. They are always up for it, if a lead is needed over a big one, rest assured it will be Declan or Dymphna who will volunteer and are never found wanting. Sadly, on the day, Declan was standing down on medical advice, but assured us that his doctors were keeping a close eye on him and he was determined to be back before the end of the season. Also out and going well as ever were Ava Gaynor and Sarah Carroll from Ballyanna, where they run a craft bakery. Also out was Anna Cleary, whose family are dairy farmers in Ardcroney.

Lauren Spain, Kelsey Hughes, Jack Minehan, Clodagh Spain and Ava Gaynor with the North Tipperary Foxhounds \ Catherine Power

Absent friend

Sadly missing was Seamus Ó’Slatarra, but the family was ably represented by his brother Brian, both master and whipper-in. The family are at the heart and soul of hunting in the area and they run a very successful seed, supplement and agri tech company, which exports around the world. Brian had his young daughter Aoibhinn (all of six) out on her good pony, being led by her older sister Aila. Brian and Seamus have been at the heart of the hunt in varying roles for almost 40 seasons, a remarkable record.

While the hospitality of Kennedy’s may have been tempting, our huntsman Denis was not for lingering.

As the village church struck the angelus bell, Denis was on his horse and, with 12 and a half couple of Old English, they looked the part. The hunt have a most unusual livery, not scarlet but neither is it black, it is plum, and hunt staff looked particularly smart, especially young Ellie Spain on a really smart quality hunter. She has just qualified as a nurse and is waiting for her first posting. The family (of sisters) were further represented by Lauren, who is also a student nurse in Waterford and Clodagh, who is still at school.

First draw

Pictures taken, hounds moved off for their first draw on Roger Gleeson’s farm. While hounds were drawing, it gave an opportunity to have a word with Jeremy Cairns on his faithful grey. Jeremy was master and huntsman of the hunt for over 25 seasons - a role he took on back in 1981.

First draw was in Roger Gleeson’s and hounds pressed on to Charlie Hogan’s, where hounds began to show an interest, but it was the second season dog Ormond Loafer that first raised his stern and had a fine dog fox afoot. He was spotted slipping away by young whipper-in and dairy farmer Paul Seymour, a nephew of hunt chairman Eoin Seymour, who was also out.

As the pack rallied to him, Reynard set his mask for Billy O’Grady’s old woodland and, remaining loyal to their quarry, they pressed him on towards the mighty waters of Lough Derg. The third largest fresh water body in Ireland, it is 24 miles long and eight miles wide, running on the Shannon from Portumna in Galway to Killaloe in Clare.

However, our pilot knew exactly where he was going and, as he crossed the road, he found a welcoming shore and was given best.

Hounds drew on through and drew St David’s walled garden. While hounds spoke briefly, there was no one at home and hounds pressed on to draw the hill of Urra, overlooking the lake and looking right across at Whitegate in Clare with Corrikeen island in between. This is a very substantial island, running to a couple of hundred acres, with stock ferried back and forth on a WW2 converted landing craft.

Spectacular views

The views from the hill were spectacular looking right across perhaps three or four miles at Declan Durack’s farm on a promontory near Whitegate. Declan is a joint Master of the East Clare Harriers, we hunted on his most picturesque farm only recently from a meet at Whitegate. Here the Spain sisters gave a spectacular display of dismounting Frankie Dettori style only better (see cover).

Despite the view, the scent proved blank and little was left, but to make the short shoreline hack back to Puckane, where hospitality was on hand in Kennedy’s.

While scent on the day was not in our favour, hounds met again on bank holiday Monday at Keoghs of the Forge, where I am reliably informed they had a stormer.

Officials

Chairman Owen Seymour

Master Mr Denis O’Sullivan MFH, Brian Ó’Slatarra MFH

Huntsman Mr Denis O’Sullivan

Whippers-in Brian O’Slattara, Ellie Spain, Kelsey Hughes, Paul Seymour, Jack Minihan

Honorary Sec Rachel O’Donovan

Hunt Treasurer Brian Ó’Slatarra

Hunt History

Founded around 1950, taking over country once hunted by the Thurles and Kilshane harriers.

Some Former Masters

AF Williams 1960-62, Arthur Dalgety 1965-67, Lt Col Deane 1968-74, Mrs Deane 1975-80, Jeremy Cairns 1981-2006, Oliver Ryan-Purcell 2006-2011, Denis Gilmartin