THERE are certain meets that stand out on the hunting calendar and an opening meet at historic Mount Juliet has to rank premier among those. Mount Juliet is steeped in hunting history, having been the home of the McCalmont family up to 1993, when it became a very smart hotel and golf resort. But even before the McCalmonts, it had been the home of the famed American hound breeder Ikey Bell, when he was master and huntsman (1908-21). It was he who revolutionised hound breeding by introducing the Welsh cross to the outrage of the establishment. However, their value was soon recognised and now most English packs and several Irish depend on what has become known as modern hound breeding.

As well as being the home of the Kilkenny Foxhounds, where everything was done on a grand scale, it was also a major force in racing, where they bred and raced the Tetrach, the greatest thoroughbred of his day.

Hounds are still kennelled within a stone’s throw of the five-star hotel and I’m sure guests are often awoken to the morning cry of hounds in kennels. We were fortunate to have been invited by senior master Joe O’Flynn of Rathsallagh in Wicklow, who makes the trip down twice a week. He has hunting in his blood, as his father also was for many years joint-master of the Laois Foxhounds with Rory Dicker.

The mastership is further made up of Ben Goodbody from Tipperary, Fionnula Lennon from Straffan, but originally from North Kilkenny, and Bertram Salter from Carlow, who has only joined the mastership this season. Sadly, the latter wasn’t out, but a new face has joined the Kilkenny this season in Scott Corridan from USA, who has taken over the equestrian centre in Mount Juliet. It was his first day ever hunting in Ireland and, accompanied by riding centre manager Tara Monaghan, he had a memorable day’s hunting.

New huntsman

The hunt has a new huntsman since last season in young Garry Kelly from Laois, who was supported on the day by his brother Oisin and dad John, both of whom we met only last week with the Laois.

Unboxing, we met two young sportsmen of the Conway family from Mulinavat; Ryan, who is studying equestrian science in Pilltown and his younger brother Conor, both on immaculately turned out cobs.

Boxes were parked at the kennels, with the plan being to make the short hack down to the front door of Mount Juliet, where refreshments were to be served by hotel staff. Over the years, the hotel has expanded to include the appropriately named Hunter’s Yard and numerous private lodges on the estate.

A Five-Star gathering at Mount Juliet for the Kilkenny Foxhounds Opening Meet: Fionnuala Lennon MFH, Ben Goodbody MFH, Gary Barry huntsman, Joe O’Flynn MFH and whipper-in Joe McAuliffe \ Catherine Power

Hospitality

It was uber-smart, with Mount Juliet general manager Mark Dunne pulling out all the stops to make the hunt welcome. Hotel staff in morning suits dispensed all that was good to the assembled riders and a large number of foot-followers, including hotel guests, who were spellbound by the sight of a pack of hounds and all that went with it at the steps of Mount Juliet.

A few short words of welcome came from Joe O’Flynn, who dismounted for the occasion and from the top step welcomed all, thanked the landowners and wished everyone a great season. Much of the tradition has been retained by the hotel, with their Michelin starred dining room being called ‘The Lady Helen Restaurant’, in remembrance of Major Dermot McCalmont’s wife.

The hunt has a new whipper-in on board, the recently arrived Joe McAuliffe from Killarney, who came with his girlfriend Emily, who was also out. Sadly, regular amateur whipper-in JJ Bolger was unavoidably missing, but his better half. Mags. was there on her good bay and has been described by joint-master Fionnula Lennon as “our wonderful secretary, Mags Bolger, on her bay cob, always smiling, she is the anchor of our ship!”

Visiting master from North Kilkenny, Brian Murphy, one of the founding families of the second Kilkenny pack was there, as was Patricia Brennan (Blaque) out on foot, whose father Charlie founded the Kilmoganny’s, sadly disbanded for the time being.

Accompanying her was Michael Brannigan from Kilkenny, who hunted with the Kilmoganny’s for many years.

Hounds on song

But no matter how smart, riders didn’t come for Mount Juliet hospitality, but rather to see hounds work and cross the magnificent Kilkenny countryside and so, with just a note on the horn, Garry took his 12 and a half couple, bred in line with Ikey Bell’s recommendations, across the river Nore to draw Ballylinch Stud, once part of Mount Juliet but now part of John and Leslie Malone’s breeding operation here in Ireland.

General manager John O’Connor and Adrian Sherry, whom I remember from his days hunt chasing, always ensure a warm welcome for the hunt when they make their annual trip across the famed Nore bridge. Dermot Hanafin, former Laois huntsman, had his two children on lead rein.

The veterinary profession was certainly well represented in the field, with no less than five distinguished practitioners: Jenny Henderson, resident vet at Ballylinch Stud; Gillian Maddock, Clinic na gCapall, Carlow; Catherine Dwan, Cheval Veterinary; Rhona McKenzie, Cheval Veterinary, and making up the quintet was Ahmed Alansari, who was a guest of vet Jenny (Ballylinch Stud); he is doing a veterinary PhD in UCD. He breeds and races endurance horses in Oman. No doubt taking a keen interest in Ballylinch as they rode through were David Wardell of the National Stud, who was out with his son Phonsie.

Having drawn through Ballylinch, they found on Nicolas Kelley’s, but he soon found refuge and was marked to ground near the aqueduct on land belonging to Peter Raftis.

They then hacked through the sporting town of Thomastown and drew on along the Nore valley through Martin Walshe and Kevin Hoyne’s land. However, despite magnificent scenery, it was blank and they then crossed the main road and hacked to Ballyconway and Ritchie Galwey’s covert.

Hounds were not long in covert when fourth-season hound ‘Hamish’ (by Bicester and Whaddon Chase Halifax out of Kilkenny Charity) took interest in a very stern ticket of thorns, but not deterred had a fine dog fox afoot. Hamish had won the stallion hound championship in last year’s Stradbally hound show. As the pack rallied to him, Reynard was seen slipping away and holloaed by Oisin Kelly, the huntsman’s brother who was visiting from the Laois.

A smashing hunt over some challenging Kilkenny walls ensued. They ran into McKenzie’s extensive farm, with vet Rhona showing the way, and, with all stock locked up for the day, riders could have a field day over the Kilkenny walls, which take a bit of jumping. Going really well were Berney Tynan visiting from the neighbouring North Kilkenny and Sarah Bould on her peerless coloured cob. They hunted all the way back and marked in Galwey’s plantation.

The field made the short hack back to the meet, where proper Mount Juliet hospitality in the Hunter’s Yard awaited, which is the more informal part of the great hotel.

Kilkenny Foxhounds

Chairman – Mr Humphrey Murphy

Joint-Masters – Mr Joe O’Flynn, Mr Ben Goodbody, Miss Fionnula Lennon, Mr Bertram Salter

Hon. Secretary Mrs Margaret Bolger

Huntsman – Mr Garry Kelly

Whipper-in – JJ Bolger (Amateur) Joe McAuliffe (Prof)

Point-to-Point secretary – Jim Murphy

Country hunted – Varied, banks, drains, stone walls and rivers

Meets – Tues & Sat, 11.00am.

Brief history:

Hunt formed in 1797 by Sir John Power of Kilfane. The kennels have been at Mount Juliet since 1921 when Dermot McCalmont took over the hounds from Ikey Bell. The hunt then passed into the control of the McCalmont family, Dermot and later his son Victor, and could be said to have entered their golden period, where they were run on a lavish scale for the next 60 years.Some former masters:

John Power 1798-1844, HR Langrishe 1890-1908, Ikey Bell 1908-1921, Major Dermot McCalmont 1921-1968, Major Victor McCalmont 1949-1993 (died in office), Roy Strudwick 1987-1996.