THE Snail Box Bar and Restaurant is an iconic landmark in hunting and racing, as the Meath Foxhounds, The Ward Union Staghounds, The Fingal Harriers and The Goldburn Beagles meet there. But this is hunting country with a long tradition handed down in families and many of the landowners in this area hunt with one of the many packs.

Because of racecourses, training stables and bloodstock sales dotted around the county, there is a keen interest in the thoroughbred market, pinhooking and the stores market. The Snail Box is owned by Philip Foster, a hunt follower of the Wards, and the walls of the bar are like a gallery dedicated to equestrianism, a football signed by Pele and thousands of caps hanging from the ceiling representing from ‘Ashbourne to Abu Dhabi and Cabra to Canberra’.

It got its name from an incident back in 1848, when Jem Clarke, a hedge school teacher who taught people around Kilmoon, carried all he possessed in a bag on his back. He squatted on a piece of commonage and local landowners took him to court to evict him. The judge likened him to a snail that carries all he possesses on his back and threw out the case!

It also has accommodation and one visitor to the Meath Foxhounds meet, Victoria Gailly de Taurines, who stayed at the Snail Box a year ago, was so captivated by the atmosphere after a day’s hunting that she got engaged after a hunt. Now married, she was hunting on the day with two Fingal joint-masters, Michael and Seamus McGrath and Seamus’s son, Conor.

Fingal Harriers joint masters, Michael and Seamus McGrath, Conor McGrath and visitor Victoria Gailly de Taurines at The Meath Foxhounds meet at The Snail Box \ Noel Mullins

Hunt Staff and Masters

There are a few changes in the Meath front row this season. Kenny Henry has taken over hunting both the doghound and the bitch pack, with his brother, John, stepping down from mounted hunting after 30 seasons whipping-in and hunting hounds. But he is still active, organising hunt country and supporting his brother, Kenny, from the road.

Dr Cathal Cassidy, former master of the South Tyrone, has joined Andrew Boyd and Eugene O’Reilly in the mastership. Norman Williamson has taken over as field master and former joint-master, Pat Dillon, is now the hunt chairman. Barry Finnegan is the professional whipper-in and he is certainly a role model for any aspiring whipper-in. He goes about his job quietly, is always in the right place and hounds really rally to him, as he has their trust. Barry has been joined by Brian Black, who has been whipping-in as an honorary whipper-in and he was sporting his new iconic Meath red hunting jacket with a black collar. The hunt has great support from the Tuite brothers, Thomas and James, Dermot Curtis and dairy farmer James Cogan. Darren Boylan, huntsman of the Fingal Harriers, was in John Henry’s pocket all day, as Henry shared his hunting observations with him, as Boylan comes from a drag-hunting background, a very different skill.

Followers

It was reassuring for the followers that there were two doctors in the field, one who specialises in the body and the other focuses on the mind, so that everyone was well and truly covered for all eventualities! Master Dr Cathal Cassidy was hunting with his son, Daniel, and fellow master, Niall O’Regan, with his daughter, Maise. It was great to meet Ethel Galligan, a daughter of the late honorary whipper-in Aidan Galligan. I remember hunting with the crack team of Aidan, huntsman Johnny Henry and Michael ‘Speedy’ O’Rourke on my hunter, Walter, from The Hill of Tara and they provided terrific sport.

Others following were Dr Senan O’Connor, former huntsman Ollie Finnegan, James Tuite, Justin Reilly, Nikki Potterton, chairman of Eventing Ireland, on a well turned out and stunning hunter by Jack Lambert’s Irish Draught Grange Bouncer. But Nikki put turnout down to the high standards of his wife, international event rider Sarah Ennis. Also out were Elizabeth Oakes on a smashing black cob, Adam Lord, Jodie Kidd, James Monks, Damien Carrick, Martin Cromwell, James Cogan, Pete Wall, Eamonn Gleeson, Jim Finnegan, Andy Carroll on his bicycle, Sabine Dowdall and her niece, Katie Heggarty, and Billy Bligh. There was such a great following on the road that I have been thinking lately seeing all those retired followers, others in between roles, and those not interested in roles, and I can’t but come to the conclusion that this is the hunting version of The Men’s Shed. Except in this case, they don’t make anything other than conversation! And there is no admission fee to follow the hunt.

Hunting

The Meaths had one of their best opening meets at Ardbraccan House, followed by another good day at Carlinstown. Hunt staff were at the Snail Box at 10.00am, and started tacking up at 10.30am and were on to the first draw at 10.55am, wasting no precious hunting time. The huntsman on his good grey hunter Timmy, that was bred in Tipperary, crossed the main Ashbourne Road and drew the Commons, where they had a brace on the move straight away. A fox normally goes away in a line for Garristown, but these two headed for the main Ashbourne Road. But with a clever move by the hunt staff, they turned them back and they went to ground. I was reminded of the late trainer Tommy O’Neill, who was a real gentleman who trained nearby and his daughter Lisa, who has since made such an impression both on the race track and in her media work.

It was to be a day of foxes everywhere and short runs, as the next draw was Newtown Covert on Fingal joint-masters, Michael and Seamus McGrath’s farm, who were out on horseback. The pack found again and, after some woodland hunting, this fellow sought refuge underground also. But it did not take the Meath pack long to have another customer on the move on Raymond Mangan’s farm, a former follower of the Ward Union. This fellow ran really low along the hedge, but once the packlocked on the line, they were magic to listen to. He ran right-handed first and across the lane and swung left-handed and nipped into Raymond Mangan’s yard to give the pack the slip. But the pack never overran the line and pushed him out to break cover and he set his mask left-handed for Moneyhill, where the old Fingal point to point was held in the past.

Landowner Johnny Mangan was following by car with his wife, Madelaine, and their son, John. Johnny is a former master of the Ward Union and owned the famous hunter Motor Car that Larry McGuinness ended up leading the Fingal followers with for a further number of years. It’s still hard to believe that commentator Peter Quirke evented Motor Car, as the horse was straight from the hunting field and knew nothing about eventing; show jumping and dressage were a complete mystery. But, after bumping the secretary’s caravan onto one wheel with obvious consequences for the occupants when show jumping at an event in Bill Buller’s in Scarva, Motor Car was relieved to return to the hunting field. Louth joint-master and former Ward Union whipper-in Kieran Ryan, his son and amateur jockey, Ivan, and Kieran’s sister, Judy Duffy, were in the right spot all day. Kieran and Judy’s parents, Kit and Jimmy, were joint-masters of the Fingal Harriers for many years.

Meanwhile, the pack were now on song and as I got to the front gate of Johnny Mangan’s, it was a fantastic sight to see the fox put in an amazing leap so athletic across the road, landing on the bank and away on across Niall Carberry’s and to ground.

The huntsman found again in Garristown Bog and, after a few twists and turns, he went to ground in horse producer Garry Quinn’s farm. They found again at the back of Garristown School, near the Windmill Field, but he too decided to go to ground. Another customer was on the move at Raymond McGrath’s by Ashpark and he crossed the road into Johnny Duffy’s of Nutstown, a former master of the Ward Union and to ground.

So, with enough done, the huntsman blew for home and followers were well looked after with refreshments back at the Snail Box Bar by proprietor Philip Foster.

History

The Meath Foxhounds originated from Mr Nicholson of Balrath’s pack founded in 1773, followed by Mr Pollock of Mountainstown and Mr Gerrard of Gibbstown, who formed the Clongill Hunt that became the Meath Hunt in 1817.

Officers

Chairman - Pat Dillon

Masters - Andrew Boyd, Dr Cathal Cassidy and Niall O’Regan

Huntsman - Kenny Henry

Whippers-in - Barry Finnegan and Brian Black

Field Master - Norman Williamson