A GOOD lawn meet is always a treat and they don’t come any better than the hospitality offered by Fiona Leahy and her husband, Larry O’Mahony, at their very sporting farm located between Carrigaline and Ireland’s culinary capital, Kinsale.

Sadly, Fiona was missing due to pressure of work as she runs Cork’s leading ophthalmic clinic, but husband, Larry O’Mahony, was more than a genial and generous host. While not a rider, Larry is secretary of the Cork and Waterford point-to-point association. Cork is not only the home of steeplechasing, but the county runs the most competitive point-to-point races anywhere, which have produced such equine heroes as Best Mate and jockeys such as Davy Russell and Jonjo O’Neill.

Many old friends and hunting companions were already ensconced in the drawing room with parking being taken care of by field master and area manager for the day, John McCann.

I first met John one day hunting from a meet at Fountainstown overlooking Kinsale harbour. We were fortunate to have been invited for the day by incoming hunt chairman Donal Lordan from Ballinspittle, who over the years has filled every role in the hunt.

Involved in tourism, this is his quiet time of the year and he is to be found on non-South Union hunt days out with the leading Munster packs, such as the Duhallow, Scarteen and Co Limerick, usually accompanied by his daughter, Isabel. She was out on the day on a nice bay, who came from former master John Cantillon, but was brought on by Tommy Hurley of the Conna Harriers.

Stephen Kelleher, huntsman of the South Union Foxhounds, moves off from Slieve Roe Lodge, Carrigaline to the first draw \ Catherine Power

Isabel is a real all-rounder, as well as being a teacher, she now milks a large herd of cows when she can spare time on non-hunting days. She gleefully recalled that she was having a double day off, with no cooking and no cows to milk.

Former hunt chairman Liam Burke was out with his wife, Marie, a veterinary surgeon. They run a very substantial dairy herd near Inishannon and kennel huntsman Cormack Desmond, as well as taking care of hounds, is one of their milkers. A real proper houndman, he could name any hound in the field by their voice. He also hunts the Upton Harriers on a Sunday.

Dedicated huntsman

Since our last visit, Stephen Kelleher from Ovens has taken over as huntsman and it would be hard to find, either professional or amateur, a more enthusiastic and dedicated huntsman anywhere. Despite his youth, he has built up an enviable CV having whipped in to the West Wexford Harriers for six seasons, making the trip from Cork to Wexford every Saturday for hunting days.

Contemporaneously, he was hunting the Dripsey Harriers on foot every Sunday, as well as being a full-time electrician with one of Cork’s leading electrical contractors.

At six foot and four inches, he rides well, is a fine houndman and has no difficulty jumping up and down off his horse and taking to his feet if the occasion calls for it. Whipping in to him was Brendan Hourihan, who works in sales.

No day in South Union would be complete without Sheila Corrigan on her faithful black cob known to one and all as Podge. When not hunting Sheila runs a school in Douglas. Another familiar face was Yvonne Murphy, who is the unofficial social secretary to the hunt, on her good bay.

Among the younger riders were Lauren Crowley. The Crowleys are a blacktype family, whose uncle is no less than Ballydoyle jockey Wayne Lordan. Riding for the Aidan O’Brien stable, he has six Group One winners and almost €13m in prize money to his credit, making him one of Ireland’s most successful flat jockeys.

The first draw

Liam and Maria Burke out on their lovely greys with the South Union Foxhounds \ Catherine Power

But hospitality, no matter how tempting, can’t last forever and, as the saddling bell was sounded, ramps were dropped and our huntsman arrived with 14 and a half couple divided evenly between modern and old English, with a good dash of Limerick blood drafted by fellow Cork man Fergus Stokes from his iconic kennel in Clonshire.

The first draw was nearby on land of Gavin Cronin’s with a cutaway forestry, which was heavy going for the horses but afforded foot followers a grand stand view.

Soon enough they had a fine dog fox afoot from a stick pile and he crossed the road, but ran through a field of recently spread pig slurry, which destroyed scent. They then drew on for a small plantation, which held no less than two and a half brace with foxes popping out like jacks in a box.

This caused no end of confusion, but third season home-bred lemon and white bitch, Dairymaid, remained loyal to the hunted fox and, as the rest of the pack rallied to her, they hunted on towards Donal Barry’s farm on the main Kinsale road.

Some good jumping ensued and not found wanting was the galloping grandmother herself, Breeda McCarthy from Carrigaline, who hasn’t missed an opening meet for over 60 seasons. Her husband, whom she married on the steps of Melbourne Town Hall, was for many years captain of the sail training ship, The Asgard. She runs a bespoke furniture manufacturing business just outside Carrigaline. She was hunting with her son, Gary, who also runs a very successful sign writing business.

Challenging jumping

After some challenging jumping, Reynard was marked to ground and was left. Hounds then pressed on to the next draw overlooking the solar farm outside Carrigaline.

Here, younger members of the field got an opportunity for schooling over some challenging drains. Up-sides on two ongoing cobs were Olivia Nyhan and Nelsa Murphy, while Samantha Hickey on a smashing coloured gave a great display.

For all that the draw was blank and our huntsman blew for home and hacked back to Slieve Roe Lodge, where Fiona Leahy, having returned from her clinic had, a smashing do laid on, with real Cork hospitality.

The Team

Chairman - Donal Lordan

Hon Sec /Field Master - John McCann

Huntsman - Stephen Kelleher

Whipper-in - Brendan Hourihan, Timothy Molony, Jack Lucy

Treasurer - Isabel Lordan

Days Hunted - Saturday and Tuesday

History

The first recorded masters were father and son, both Thomas Knowles from Oatlands, Kinsale, who hunted hounds from the 1830s up until almost the turn of the century. The country is bounded by Cork City to the north, Kinsale and the sea to the south and Muskerry Hunt country on the west. Former masters include Clayton Love (1949-59) Col Hayes (1959-71),WP Worth Newenham (1971-89) and Denis Murphy (1981-96)