IT was with sadness that everyone involved in hunting and National Hunt racing learned of the passing of Nick MacDermott on May 29th 20224. A stalwart of the Kildare Hunt Club and Punchestown, he will long be remembered for his service, enthusiasm and dedication.

Born on November 7th 1930, Nick was three years old when his father, a solicitor, was killed in an accident. His mother, Lily, had to move back to her family home at Furness. Educated at Ampleforth College, Nick went to work for Frank Dawson of Dalby Hall, Spilsby, in Lincolnshire when he left school.

Dawson was Master of the South Wold Foxhounds between 1945 and 1947, hunting the eastern side of the hunt country one day per week. He kindly provided a horse for Nick on hunting days. After a year, Nick left for Cambridge University, from which he graduated with a degree in agriculture.

Nobody is quite sure how much work he did at Cambridge, but we do know that he whipped-in to the Trinity Foot Beagles and the University Draghounds, eventually joining the Mastership in 1951 with Johnny Bellingham. They had a hard act to follow, as the previous Master was none other than Marcus Kimball, later Lord Kimball, a Conservative MP and MFH of Fitzwilliam and Cottesmore.

In 1951, Nick’s home address was Moyglare Glebe, Maynooth, as his mother remarried and resided there with her husband, Col Jack Nettlefold. Johnny Bellingham of Glencara, Mullingar, would later become a Master of the Westmeath Foxhounds.

In 1951, the Cambridge University Draghounds comprised eight couple. Nick hunted hounds, assisted by whippers-in Tony Martyn and David Nall Cain. Tony would later be best man at Nick and Anne’s wedding. He became MFH at the Wheatland, the Dulverton West and the Glamorgan. David Nall Cain, the youngest son of Lord Brocket, would follow Nick and Johnny in the Mastership of the draghounds.

During Nick and Johnny’s joint-mastership, nine couple of foxhounds were maintained, with which they hunted the woods around Peterborough, Oundle and Huntington by invitation of the Fitzwilliam Hunt. Nick always claimed that amongst his greatest regrets was that he never killed an English fox! However, he always acknowledged the great training he received in England hunting with beagles, draghounds and foxhounds.

When he returned home in the 1950s, Major Michael Beaumont and his wife Dodo were Joint-Masters of the Kildare Hounds. Nick was invited to join them as a Deputy Master, hunting the doghounds.

Kennel-huntsman, Jack Hartigan, hunted the bitches. The whippers-in were Eamonn Dunphy and Joe Lenehan. Eamonn became a famous huntsman of the Ward Union Hounds, whilst Joe gave a lifetime of loyal service to the Kildare Hounds.

Best decision

In 1955, Nick married Anne (Williams), then 21 years of age. He always said it was the best decision he made in his life. Anne came from Worcestershire, from a family steeped in equestrian sports. Her uncle Col Sir Mike Ansell of the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards was born at the Curragh and a renowned polo player, show jumper and foxhunter. He is credited with revitalising the Royal International Horse Show in the 1950s.

Her first cousin was the famous equestrian commentator, Dorian Williams, MFH at the Whaddon Chase. Anne came to Ireland to hunt young horses for Ted Marsh near Kilcock. From there, she hunted with the North Kildare Harriers and the Kildare Foxhounds. Through mutual friends, Anne met Nick and, on first appearances, she confided in a friend, saying “God help the woman who marries him!”

But Nick’s charm won the day and they married in 1955. For almost 70 years, Anne was Nick’s rock, sharing their love for family, their farm and foxhunting. Anne is an exceptional woman and an unsung heroine, in that despite being busy as a wife and mother, she accommodated, fed and looked after hunt staff, Joint-Masters and even the Kildare Hounds for a year!

After their marriage, Nick and Anne resided at Wellfield, until in 1957 Nick bought Thornton near Dunlavin. In those early years, they had to work very hard to build up the farm, raise and educate their children and care for Nick’s aged mother, Lily. At times hunting had to take a backseat.

But Nick’s personal qualities, his humour and wit, his talent as a writer, his amazing memory and his skills as an administrator, meant that he was destined to serve on various committees and to lead. He served for decades on the committee of the Kildare Hunt Club, eventually being elected Chairman.

During his tenure, he enjoyed the support of Ms Jean Horsburgh, whom he regarded as the best Hon. Secretary in Europe. For decades, he served as a trustee, along with Will Fennell, Felix Heffernan and Nyall Spears. In time, Nick succeeded Frank J. O’Reilly as President.

Nick MacDermott

Proud

In 1993, Nick was appointed Secretary of the Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association, a position he retained until 2004. His knowledge of foxhunting, his tact and discretion and his unfailing attention to detail, singled him out as one of the most outstanding secretaries in the history of the association.

He loved the annual Hound Show and provided the commentary at Stradbally for many years. If he had a fault, it was his natural bias for the Kildare entries. When they entered the judging ring, his voice notably went up an octave, as he announced “Kildare Journalist” or some other Kildare hound that he admired!

At the time of his passing, Nick was a Life Member of the IMFHA, in recognition of his enormous contribution to foxhunting over 70 years.

His proudest achievement was designing and building, in association with Ronan MacParland, the new hunt kennels at Punchestown. Before the project started, he visited the Ledbury, where the notion of a passageway at the back of the lodges was first seen. In addition, through Hubert and Phyllis Glenn, he saw a plan of the new kennels for the Quorn Hunt.

During the project, it was necessary to move at haste the hounds and hunt staff from Jigginstown to their “temporary” lodging at Thornton. The MacDermott family were incredibly generous in accommodating both hounds and huntsman (Peter Feeney) for a year. During that time, the famed and much loved kennelman, Dick Mahon, travelled to Thornton every day to look after the knackery and provide for the hounds. Despite all the inconvenience, Dick’s good humour and smiling face were a constant feature around Thornton at that time.

Memorable person

From those halcyon days of the 1950s to now, the Kildare Hunt country has gone through an enormous change, with the expansion of satellite towns, main roads and extensive farming. Over 40 years ago, Nick was of a mind that foxhunting may not survive, but it has. Today, the Kildare Hounds are in good hands, they have a large following and they are still hunting three days a week.

Undoubtedly, the success of the Kildare Hunt can be attributed to the hard work done by the generations past and when the history is rewritten, Nick MacDermott’s name will be remembered.

And so, to the packed chapel and grounds at Gormanstown on a bright June afternoon. If there is one thing we do extremely well here it is funerals, and especially hunting funerals. The multitude gathered on June 5th were not to be disappointed. As the mass ended, a local girl sang beautifully D’ye Ken John Peel as the pall-bearers carried the coffin towards the porch of the chapel.

There they paused, as Nick’s beloved grandson (also named Nick) blew the hunting horn as good as any professional. The entire scene might have brought tears to a stone and one could only remark how proud Nick would have been to witness it all. May he rest in peace.

D’ye ken John Peel with his coat so gay?

He liv’d at Troutbeck once on a day;

Now he has gone far, far, far away;

We shall ne’er hear his voice in the morning.

To Anne, Lucy, Emma, Simon and Victoria, to his grandchildren and great-grandson, we extend our deepest sympathies. Nick may be “gone away”, but he will remain forever in the hearts of those who knew him.