SET in the deepest heart of mid-Tipperary, the village of Clonakenny certainly wasn’t a one-horse town last Sunday, as it was the venue for a meet of the Golden Vale Foxhounds. There were upwards of 50 horses and ponies assembled at or near hunt chairman, Michael Costigan’s house and stable yard, almost in the centre of the small village.

The kitchen was brimming with the best of Tipperary hospitality, liberally dispensed to one and all, either foot or mounted, by Michael and his wife Eileen. Sadly, Michael himself was not mounted, as he is recovering from a nasty leg injury and wouldn’t pass the trot up.

With all this hospitality and good cheer and with Christmas only round the corner, it was great to catch up with a few veterans, such as Shay Foley from Roscrea and kidney transplantee, Frankie Fogarty. I remember a day from the same meet when the gallant Frankie, just out of dialysis only that morning, took a heavy fall and, undaunted, got back on his horse.

Happily, he has now been granted the gift of a normal life through the generosity of a donor family and he looks a million dollars and goes accordingly.

The yard was a hive of activity, with jockeys being legged up and, in one corner a horse being shod by farrier Iarla O’Brien, resident professional in Coolmore, and he brought all the professionalism of the iconic stud to his task. The family are no strangers to the hunt, as his dad Christy, who was on hand, is a former whipper-in.

The sporting connections of Michael Costigan’s house are not limited to hunting, as a former resident and relation of Michael’s was Tom Delaney, who made a name for himself as a rugby player in South Africa, where he was on the team that won the famed Currie Cup in 1911. The Currie Cup is still played for and is looked on as the premier trophy in the South African domestic rugby calendar.

Two of the three joint-masters were there to hunt and enjoy the hospitality, Brian Walsh from Templemore and Sean Moore from Urlingford.

Gone racing

Missing, but gone racing for the day in nearby Thurles, was Pat Cantwell, who farms near Moyne and formerly owned The Moyne Machine when trained by Tim Doyle and who visited the winner’s enclosure no less than five times in a successful racing career.

Sadly missing and recovering from some health issues was honorary master, Mattie Maher from Killough. He has been a great supporter of the Golden Vale right back to the era of Timmy Hyde and Michael Purcell.

Now in his third season, is huntsman Dan Maloney, who formerly hunted a private foot pack at home in Roscrea before seeing practice with the late Johnny Dean and the Radnor Hunt in Maryland. All the while, he kept his hand in as an equine dentist, a profession he still practises as time allows in between hunting. They say, behind every great man there is a great woman and Dan is married to Sarah Loughnane, who was riding on the day, as was her young sister Molly on a chesnut cob.

Sarah is a professional greyhound trainer, both on the track and coursing and has many of the major trophies to her credit. Dan was riding a nice three-quarter bred he bought from Pauric Moynihan, the now second season huntsman of the Kildare Fox Hounds.

Area managers for the day, who did their job very well, were Johnny Martin, who runs the local pub as well as farms.Both he and his daughter, Lucy, were out; she on a smashing dun, owned by Michael Costigan. The Martin family are involved in the family business, run by his brother, Jimmy, Limerick’s answer to Bill Gates. Limerick-based, it now has branches all over the world and more than 1,200 employees worldwide.

The other area managers were shorthorn breeder, Glen Carter and our host, Michael Costigan, all of whom know every blade of grass in Clonakenny. The whippers-in are Cynthia Hanley, riding a new coloured this season, and young Ben Carter, son of Glen and a student at Kilkenny College. His brother, Sam, another student at Kilkenny College was also out. Another family group were the Purcell family with dad, Phil, as field master, with family Micheal, Aba, Brendan and young Patrick crossing the country like veterans.

Dan Maloney, huntsman of the Golden Vale Foxhounds, with his whips Ben Carter and Cynthia Hanley, moving off to the first draw at Clonakenny \ Catherine Power

Photo opportunity

As hounds moved off for the first draw over the bridge on the river Nore, there was a brief stop for a few photos outside the Nore Brook Lounge, the home and business of the Martin family.

Hunting is a great family sport and recreation and former whipper-in Owen Mockler was out with his son, Jack. The Lee family from Upperchuch were out in force, with Shane and Michelle, while the youngest rider of the day was young Ronan Maher, aged nine, out with his dad, Phil.

It made a marvellous sight as hounds and field made the short hack to the first draw down Kyleanna Lane, which was blank, but they just crossed the road and drew a bit of old country near Clonakenny GAA pitch with a game in progress. The sound of the cheering fans hadn’t disturbed Reynard, as it held a brace, but our huntsman soon had the pack settled on the hunted fox and they crossed the next road into Grant’s farm, which is in the process of reclamation with all trenches newly dug out and enough water to run the Shannon Scheme. With hounds flying, they ran on into Sutton’s and Ryan’s before swinging back over one of these newly dug out banks, which might halt many packs, but with a good lead from huntsman and whippers-in as a confidence builder, the field followed with relatively few casualties and they were back in the plate almost before they hit the ground.

Testing

Again, a second fox appeared and our huntsman’s skill was tested in keeping his pack loyal to the hunted fox. It is at times like this a huntsman calls on experienced and reliable hounds as pathfinders and Lego and the bitch Visit soon had the 12 and a half couple back on the line and they were away over a smashing but challenging bit of Tipperary’s best.

All too soon, hounds marked and they hacked on to draw Brerton’s and Glen Carter’s home farm, where they met a real yawner jumping into Jerry Martin’s (Johnny’s brother) farm.

However, while the jumping was good, Reynard was not at home and, with the evening pushing on, our huntsman blew for home. Horses had the opportunity to wash off in the Nore, but the evening was far from done, as the Martin family of the Nore Brook had a smashing spread ready for one and all in their top-class lounge on the banks of the Nore. That’s proper Tipperary hospitality for you!

Fact file

Chairman – Mr Michael Costigan

Huntsman – Mr Dan Maloney

Joint-Masters – Mr Pat Cantwell, Mr Brian Walsh, Mr Sean Moore and Mr Mattie Maher (Honorary)

Field Master – Owen Mockler, Phil Purcell

Whippers-in – Cynthia Hanley, Ben Carter

Hon Secretary – Sharon Crampton

Point-to-Point Secretary – Martina Fogarty

Brief History

Founded by the late Tim Hyde, who had won the Grand National in 1939 on Workman. Tim had hunted the family pack, The Shaun Peel’s, in his native Innishannon before coming to Tipperary and hunting a country once hunted by the Thurles and Kilshane Harriers, extending from Devil’s Bit to Bansha. Allowed to lapse in the 1950s due to Tim Hyde’s riding injury, they were reformed in 1975 by Michael Purcell and Tim Hyde Jnr.

East Clare host milestone day out

The East Clare Harriers celebrate 40 years Hunting on New Year’s Day. The day kicks off at 11.30am at the Cobblers Rest Bodyke, where the cake will be cut by members new and old and a glass will be raised. Catherine and Dicky Power will be in attendance along with Irish Show Jumping team manager Michael Blake, who hunted the hounds at the first meet in 1984, as well as some of the original members. A special cap rate will apply for the day of €30 for adults and €15 for children, which can be booked online. A great day is assured for all with a punch reception along with refreshments in Kilnoe during hunting. All are welcome.