IT was a nautical scene as we arrived at Luska Pier near Puckane just last Saturday for a meet of the North Tipperary Foxhounds. While there was scenery to die for with the expanses of Lough Derg looking over to Island More and, in the distance, the shores of Co Clare, there was neither shop nor pub nor indeed any kind of habitation nearby. I had hunted from this very meet many seasons ago, when hounds were hunted by Oliver Ryan-Purcell, now master and huntsman of the neighbouring Ormond.

But that didn’t in any way take from the occasion, with some 25 riders and Denis O’Sullivan, with as nice a pack of Old English hounds as you are likely to find in these islands. Denis has only joined the hunt this season, having previously hunted the neighbouring Ormond for the last 10 seasons or so. Originally from Kerry, his father, Michael, is both master and chairman of the North Kerry Harriers, which featured in the pages of The Irish Field only last week. Many of the familiar faces were there, such as husband and wife team, Dymphna and Declan Carroll from Clonakenny. Sarah Carroll from Ballyanny, on a smart chesnut with tail done up polo-style, really looked the part. She and her partner, Michael Quigley, run a very extensive dairy farm.

Smart

The hunt looked particularly smart in their Burgundy hunt coats, which also blend with the winter environment of heather and gorse. Denis, on a nice chesnut produced by Kevin Donohue of Ballymacad, had a bevy of whippers-in to assist him and every one more enthusiastic and hard working than the next. While equine dentist James O’Meara was missing, the veteran Brian Ó Slatarra brought a lifetime of hunting experience to the role. In her first season in the hunt livery was young Ellie Spain, a student nurse, who was out with her two sisters, Lauren - another student nurse - and Clodagh, while their dad and mum, Paul and Mary, from Nenagh, followed on foot all day. The list of whippers-in continued with Kelsie Hughes, a Leaving Cert. student who lives in Ormond country; Paul Seymour, a nephew of the chairman and a very substantial dairy farmer; and, learning his trade was young Jack Lenehan from nearby Puckane.

Mark of esteem

Our huntsman’s better half, Olive, was on foot, as the couple are expecting their first baby during the summer, but she was out travelling with Joe Townsend, who formerly hunted the Hurworth in the north of England. As a mark of the esteem in which he is held in the hunting world, he has been invited to judge at the 2024 renewal of the Peterborough hound show, the premier event of its kind in the world. He has been of great assistance to a succession of North Tipperary huntsmen, as he brings a lifelong experience of venery with him.

As horses and ponies un-boxed, we were able to catch up with such North Tipperary stalwarts as Peter and Niamh McCutcheon. Peter hunted for many years and was chairman for quite a few of those. He has now enjoyed considerable success in the racing and bloodstock world with his daughter, Evanna, herself a successful trainer. A very successful breeder, he bred the champion sprinter, Kingsgate Native (by Mujadil), whose earnings on the track exceeded €1m, though with some regret, he added that he has not been able to replicate this achievement since, but that’s bloodstock!

Meanwhile, Brian Ó Slatarra, with his brother Séamus, run one of Ireland’s most successful Agritech companies based in Nenagh, from where they export all over the world. The Ó Slatarra family, both Brian and Séamus, have been main players in the hunt from way back and they were both out with their families; Séamus with young Elise and Rían on a lead rein, a veteran at six, but raring to go and even younger Aoibhinn, daughter of Brian, all of five, but not riding yet. On a nice grey was kidney transplantee, Sheila Gregan from New Town, who relishes her new found good health.

Ellie Spain, North Tipperary Foxhounds whip, spots her Quarry away from Slattery's Covert with Lough Derg in the background \ Catherine Power

First draw

With the briefest of preliminaries, hounds moved off to their first draw just a short hack away in some fine woodland. While our huntsman was very wary of meeting a stag, with which this part of the country abounds, happily he was able to report a stag-free day, as he boxed up in the evening.

However, it was not too long before hounds opened and the North Tipperary orchestra struck up. While scent was good in covert, it was a very sunny day, which does not bode well for scent in the open and so it proved. However, as Reynard made a quick dash from covert to covert, leading the pack was Vixen, a fourth-season hound (by Muskerry Viking out of Ormond Alley). For outcrosses, Denis goes to East Galway or to Derek McMahon, who bred Brosna Ton Ton, whose bloodlines are to be found in all leading kennels.

They hunted on into Slatterys’, where more woodland hunting continued, with the glistening Lough Derg always in view. Eventually, scent petered out and hounds moved on to their next draw just off the Coolbawn road, in land owned by the Sterling family, Myles and Amie, who farm extensively - particularly sheep on their most picturesque farm, running along the shores of Lough Derg. Hunting on the day was their daughter, Elizabeth, who works as a physio, out on one of her event horses. Having drawn the ash plantation, which unfortunately was blank, hounds crossed the road to their home farm, known as Castle Town, which has been in the Sterling family longer than anyone can remember.

As hounds drew, it afforded a fine view to both foot-followers, such as Val Cope, who never misses a day, and also the mounted field.

As hounds were making their final draw on lake shore in Castle Town, former master Jeremy Kearns and young Charlie had to slip away, as it was grandfather and Tipperary hurling legend, Len Gaynor’s (father of hunt secretary, Ciara) 80th birthday and celebrations were already underway.

But, with shadows lengthening despite the marvellous winter sunshine, our huntsman having tried all the Sterling coverts by the lake, blew for home. Little remained but the short hack back to Luska Pier, where horses were able to wash off in the refreshing waters of Lough Derg.

North Tipperary Foxhounds

Chairman – Owen Seymour

Master – Denis O’Sullivan MFH

Huntsman – Denis O’Sullivan MFH

Whippers-in – Brian Ó Slatarra, James O’Meara, Ellie Spain, Kelsie Hughes, Paul Seymour, Jack Lenehan

Honorary Secretary – Ciara Kearns

Hunt History

Founded around 1950, taking over country once hunted by the Thurles and Kilshane harriers.

Some former Masters

AF Williams, Arthur Dalgety,

Lt Col Deane, Mrs Deane,

Jeremy Kearns, Oliver Ryan-Purcell,

Dr Andrew Vance, Denis Gilmartin