AN invitation from a master to a lawn meet at his house in not to be missed and so when Dr Andrew Vance, the genial and sporting master of the North Tipperary Foxhounds, invited us to join him for a meet at his house, The Irish Field calendar was taken from the wall and the date firmly underlined.

It didn’t disappoint. The long sweeping drive brought us to Loughton House last Saturday with glorious sunshine mellowed by a balmy breeze.

Boxes were just arriving in the inner courtyard and we quickly spotted Richard Trimble in his Meath livery where he is joint-master unboxing along with Michael Behan in the green of Ballymacad where he is also master. As if all that wasn’t enough, hot on their heels came Oliver Ryan-Purcell, joint-master of the Scarteen.

For all that, the action was in the drawing room and with a good lead from the distinguished visitors, we were warmly greeted by Dr Andrew Vance, now in his fourth season as master, and Loughton’s co-owner and Andrew’s partner Dr Michael Lyons. They bought the house some four or five years ago from another Dr James Reilly, a former TD and Minister for Health for Fine Gael.

Loughton is probably one of the finest houses anywhere, set in fabulous parkland, straddling the Tipperary/Offaly border. More importantly it is on the border between North Tipperary and Ormond hunt country and is just a stone’s throw from the Barack Obama Plaza.

Running to 18 bedrooms, it is set in more than 100 acres of park and farmland. Built by Lord Bloomfield, back in the day it remained in the extended family until it was bought by Dr Reilly. Some five years ago, it was again put on the market and was bought by the gallant doctors, one of medicine, Dr Andrew Vance and Dr Michael Lyons, a doctor of science, but what they have in common is that both are dedicated foxhunters.

Family tradition

Dr Andrew Vance grew up in Scarva House with the sounds of kennels in his ears as his Dad was the legendary Billy Vance who hunted the Fermanagh Harriers for 54 seasons. The Vances have medicine in their family (his mother is still a practising veterinary surgeon) so it was no surprise when young Andrew went to Dublin as a medical student. He is now a GP currently tending to the needs of his patients in greater Manchester.

Likewise, Dr Michael now works with Astra Zeneca (formerly ICI) in Cheshire which produces one of the Covid-19 vaccines. He grew up in Lismore where, as a lad, he would have hunted with the Lismore Harriers, then hunted by Jackie Houlihhan. So, it seemed a natural progression that the good doctors not only became masters of Loughton but for Andrew to go and become master of the local pack where he joined Denis Gilmartin in the mastership.

To say the dining room in Loughton is large goes nowhere near describing its scale and the great and the good of the North Riding, plus many from Monaghan and Fermanagh, had gathered for the occasion. Andrew’s sister Clare, who works as in-house lawyer for IBM, and Ellen Coyle had made the trip south to enjoy the banks and ditches of North Tipperary.

We were glad to meet up with Dorothy Ryan-Purcell at Tullaheady near Nenagh and Niamh McCutcheon, wife of point-to-point chairman Peter. No day in the north riding would be complete without Colin Bravery who came to Tipperary on a short visit from Sussex 30 years ago and never left. There were quite a few absentees who were working on the point-to-point course which was due to be held the following day. However due to incessant overnight rain, the fixture is now scheduled for Sunday, March 13th.

Steeped in hunting

All good things come to an end and as mid-day approached, master and huntsman Denis Gilmartin, with a quick look towards his whipper-in, James O’Meara, went to unbox his good coloured hunter and enlarge 12 and a half couple of Old English.

Photos were taken, including Michael Lyons sitting up for the occasion with a horse generously handed over by young Clodagh Spain who was out with her brother Laurance. I have no doubt that if Snaffles or Lionel Edwards were there, they would have captured the scene on canvas for posterity.

Assisting our huntsman were two of his whippers-in, James O’Meara from Toomevara, where he works as an equine dentist, and learning his trade and a quick learner at that was 13-year-old Charlie Kearns, son of Jeremy and Kiara. Brought up in a house steeped in hunting, his dad Jeremy hunted the North Tipps for many seasons while Mum, a serving garda in Limerick, has the unenviable job of hunt secretary. Both were out, well-mounted, and going well all day.

There were a particularly well turned out bunch of juniors including Ava Gaynor and young Kiera O’Brien from Templederry among others. Clare Donovan was out on a nice bay while her husband John was busy ensuring waivers and such like were in order.

Formalities over, our huntsman took hounds on to draw by the Old Limerick road and they didn’t have long to wait before hounds spoke and a fine dog fox was spotted slipping away by Joe Townsend, who formerly hunted the Hurworth in Nth Yorkshire. With mostly woodland hunting, they hunted on almost to the village of Moneygall where he was marked to ground. They returned to Loughton and drew on towards Borrisnafarney Church where hounds spoke briefly but couldn’t make anything of it.

Followers aplenty

They came back out on the road to hack on to the next draw by the Alaton River. This juncture saw the arrival of Brian O’Slattara and his brother Sheamus with their children having had mechanical issues on the way. Brian, out with his daughter Briana, quickly resumed his duties as whipper-in while Seamus was escorting young Elise on a lead rein but going gallantly. Young TJ Quigley, all of 13 and only on his third day out, made up the group.

Hounds crossed the river off the road and met some smashing jumping in Ken Hodgins’s land. Our photographer, having forded the river, was on hand to get them jumping a really decent trench with Denis Gilmartin showing the way in style.

The gold medal must certainly go to Declan O’Carroll and his wife Dymphna from Clonakenny. Declan, on his home-bred bay, gave a particularly spectacular performance closely followed by Richard Trimble, no stranger to big trenches in the Meath country. There were a few casualties, but all were back in the plate and carried on.

Hounds drew on towards Harney’s old quarry and at this stage were kept in touch by hunt stalwarts Billy Hogan and Val Cope who know the country like the back of their hands. Hounds found and hunted on across the hills under the watchful eye of the Devils Bit before they marked him to ground almost where they had found.

With shadows lengthening and storm clouds gathering, our huntsman decided to give it best and made the pleasant hack back to Loughton where no doubt further hospitality awaited.

Factfile

North Tipperary Foxhounds

Chairman: Owen Seymour

Joint-masters: Denis Gilmartin, Dr Andrew Vance

Huntsman: Denis Gilmartin

Whipper-in: Brian O’Slattara, James O’Meara and Charlie Kearns (assistant).

Honorary secretary: Ciara Kearns