Vice-chairman: Pat Bermingham

Joint-masters: John McNamara, Michael Mullane, Gary McCarthy, Sean O’Donovan

Honorary Secretary: Marie Wheeler

Point-to-point and hunter trial secretary: Marie Wheeler

Huntsman: Padraic Behan

Whippers-in: Gerry Murphy, Dessie Lenihan, Myles Harney, Mark O’Regan, Dominic Furnell

Country hunted: Most of the western half of Co Limerick

History

The hunt was formed in 1894 and it was reported that a deer was hunted through the city, across the river Shannon.

Meets: Saturday and Wednesday, 11am.

Visitors: welcome by arrangement

WE were really spoiled for choice last weekend with not one but two meets of neighbouring Limerick Harriers – Kilmeedy on Saturday closely followed by Bulgaden on Monday – two top-class venues with guaranteed top of the range jumping.

Well, the field on both days reflected country available with keen visitors from all over Munster and further afield bolstering what is always a well supported Limerick Harrier field.

Kilmeedy village is located just north of the Cork county border with the Duhallow country just a few fields away. The village is sadly without a functioning pub as the Rock Bar is under reconstruction. Nevertheless the village was chock-a-block with horse transport of all kinds and descriptions.

Padraic Behan, now been hunting his sixth season, has consistently shown good sport over the demanding country. He has a great back-up in their kennel huntsman Brian O’Leary, who hunts the Fedamore Foot Harriers with the two packs co-kennelled, an arrangement which seems to work particularly well.

The pack had already hunted 12 days this season so hounds were as fit as fiddles and raring for road. Padraic was on a good grey, provided by farrier Rory Brennan who was also out. On the day hounds had already been out five days out of eight so he had to rest his own horse for the upcoming Bulgaden meet.

He has a great group of amateur whippers-in at his disposal, everyone of them as keen as mustard: Gerry Murphy, Dessie Lenihan and Myles Harney, with Mark O’Regan and Badminton rider Dominic Furnell acting as auxiliaries. Gary McCarthy from Fedamore has rejoined the mastership and was out both days on his new grey, joined by his daughter Ide, a student of psychiatric nursing.

Plenty of visitors

As we arrived we could have been mistaken if we thought it was a Scarteen meet so plentiful were the Tan collars visiting on the day. The visiting party was led by Scarteen Olympian Michael Ryan from his eventing yard near Bandon, out with his brother Hughie, Turf Club official James Casey and his better half Mary Jane Kearney, now working in Kilfrush Stud with Comdt. Martin McGrath, along with Camilla Kerr and Dermot O’Halloran and they were just the ones we met straight away.

There was a real air of business at the meet, on the dot of 11am the huntsman was on his horse and with a short note on the hunting horn, hacked down to the first draw on land farmed by Eugene and his son Brian O’Leary. The O’Learys from Duhallow country run a huge cattle and horse operation with farms dotted all over north Cork and south Limerick. In addition, no two better men to cross the country will you find than the father and son combination.

Hounds had barely touched down when a third-season Old English hound, Regie, spoke and as the pack rallied to him, they were away. Kilmeedy is not for the faint- hearted and they hadn’t gone too far when Dominic Furnell got dragged off by a particularly uncooperative tree branch. At this stage we got unsighted but were put back on track by senior Master and our near neighbour, ‘Small’ John McNamara, who knows the country like the back of his hand. His son Christopher was out and going well.

Fast action

The pace was fast and furious as hounds hunted by Feenagh Hurling field where they may have changed foxes. They hunted on taking a large left-handed loop until they got back almost to Kilmeedy village just off the Dromcollogher road where they marked to ground. The clock was only showing 2.30pm but hounds and horses had more than enough done and our huntsman blew for home.

While there were many casualties and others posted missing in action, John Hannon from Avondhu was ecstatic on his good coloured never having put a foot wrong all day. Visiting from Waterford were the Widger family led by dad Robert with Paula, Sam, Colm and young Joe, no doubt called after his illustrious ancestor Joe who rode the family-bred Wild Man of Borneo (10/1) to win the 1895 Grand National.

The Widgers were there as guests of the Dohertys of Ballyneety who produce most of the ceremonial horses used in the UK. Brian was out holding a watching brief but his wife Rhiannon was very much up with the action. Other visitors from the Fingal not found wanting were Sive Ryan and Darren Jordan who had made the trip south for the day.

Bulgaden meet

The relatively early finish on Saturday may be partially accounted for the fact they were hunting on the Monday in Bulgaden near Kilmallock with some of the biggest and best banks to be found anywhere. We made the return visit to find our huntsman back on his own horse, Hugo, whom he bought only this season from John Breen in Emly. It was going to be their last day until insurance difficulties could be resolved and all and sundry had turned up.

Padraic was joined on the day by his partner Adrina Conlon who had taken a day off from her law office for the occasion. Visiting from the rebel county were leading veterinary surgeon John Hyde, who has often featured in these columns, accompanied by his daughter Corrine. He was on his very keen bay whom he rescued from uncertain fate and is now his favourite hunter. Another visitor from the rebel county was Philip Desmond, master of the West Waterford.

Bulgaden is barely a village but it has a thriving pub/restaurant, Bulgaden Castle, which was very much open for business and was liberally availed of particularly by those who had travelled quite a distance.

However, sticklers for time on the dot of 11am, the first draw was hardly a stone’s throw from the road on land farmed by Paddy Hanly, the maestro of all things to do with carriage driving in these islands.

With several members of the field still tightening their girths, hounds spoke in a small spinney. This is looked on as a sure find with the fox invariably running for Ballinscaula but, on this occasion, our pilot ran straight for the road just skirting Bulgaden Castle. It is the job of hunt staff to stay with hounds and our hunt staff, led by Padraic, with Mark O’Regan and Mike Mullane not too far behind, popped out over a good stiff concrete wall into the car park opposite Bulgaden Castle. The field wisely followed by a more pedestrian route as hounds hunted on towards Dromin and marked in Cranley’s farm.

They then drew on in Brian Sheedy’s farm near Ballinscaula. The Sheedy’s run a very successful haulage company but have now gone into farming in a substantial way and their three children, Eva, Mikey and Owen, were out and going well. They found and hunted in a big loop over super country crossing the road into Bennet’s farm and running on towards Adamstown where they marked to ground. There was food and entertainment laid on for all and sundry at the castle at the end of the day which ends this phase of hunting for the time being.

Catherine and I would like to wish all our readers a very Happy Christmas and a happy hunting new year.