CHRISTMAS for many, even hunt followers, is a time of indulgence, and what better way to shed the excesses but to don an old pair of runners or sturdy boots and take to the countryside on foot with a pack of beagles in your area. To make it easier, they are all listed in The Irish Field Directory.

The origins of hunting in Ireland, back to the dawn of time, was all done on foot as mounted hunting came later. Today, there is a significant crossover between followers hunting on foot and mounted and none more so than the followers of Mr Kerr’s Beagles.

It is over 20 years since I visited Mr Kerr’s Beagles, but I put that absence right recently by visiting them at the very same meet that I attended all that time ago in beautiful Blessington, overlooking the picturesque Pollaphuca Reservoir that some claim is in Co Wicklow and others Kildare.

Back 20 years ago, joint master Paul Kerr was hunting the pack and, after a great day hunting, we ended up chatting back at their house. We were trying to fill in a few gaps about different farms that he had hunted that day and, as quick as a flash, his father Paddy, the founder of the hunt, without hesitation enlightened us. Now Paddy was no ordinary retired master and huntsman, as he was shortly to celebrate his 100th birthday!

He looked so content sitting back in his chair, recounting great hunting days with a bottle of Guinness in one hand and a John Players cigarette (untipped) in the other. Paddy made sure he collected a cheque from the President of Ireland and put it to good use, hosting a big party for family and friends. For me, it is a memory I will treasure of a very special person.

Impressive

Paul Kerr has been master ever since, also hunting the South County Dublin Harriers for over 30 seasons, having previously hunted the Kildare Foxhounds for nine seasons and parading the hounds at the Dublin Horse Show. Paul’s wife Finola is the honorary secretary of the hunt and also helps with whipping-in duties.

Their daughter Grace is now the third generation to hunt the pack and has a quiet way with the pack that included three couple of pups. Having hunted hounds myself and knowing how pups can disrupt a pack, I was really impressed with the fact that she walked through two farms to get to the farm she was hunting and the whole pack tucked in around her the whole way and never moved a muscle until she gave them the command to go in and draw.

Grace also whips-in to her father with The South County Dublin Harriers and has hunted the pack on many occasions. She is a graduate of The Irish National Stud Thoroughbred Breeding Management programme, has worked in Segenhoe Stud in the Hunter Valley in Australia and rode work on the track in Sydney. She currently rides out for Ross O’Sullivan, who had such great success recently, especially in Listowel and Galway.

Joint mater and huntsman of the Mr Kerrs Beagles, Grace Kerr, at the meet from Wilsons in Blessington \ Noel Mullins

Another remarkable and knowledgeable man is Desmond Bell, who has been whipping-in to Mr Kerr’s Beagles for over 40 seasons. A keen photographer, whose work has appeared in The Irish Field, he also supports Paul and his daughters Grace, Catherine and Eve on hunting days with The South County Dublin Harriers throughout the season, while also getting out with The West Wicklow Foxhounds.

He is also a familiar face at The National Hound Show in Stradbally, where the pack has been so successful this year, winning the Entered Doghound Class with Porter, Stallion Hound Class with Fathom, Champion Doghound with Porter and Best Sire or Dam and Two Progeny with Foreman, Careful and Choosey and the Reserve Champion of the Show with Porter.

Local

The meet was hosted by Ronan and Louise Wilson, who are followers of the Kildare Foxhounds. Their daughter Emma has a huge interest in showing and her show cob Emlagh Boy was following the hounds with interest from his paddock.

Ronan is from a family, who have been in the meat trade for many years and he specialises in producing many plant-based products including gluten-free breadcrumbs, chicken, turkey and bacon and his company is a great supporter of local businesses and local charities.

He has a slogan in his business, ‘You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy local, and that’s the same thing’! And we got to sample some of that delicious food at the meet. Ronan asked for followers to spare a thought for Paddy Murphy, a keen beagler, who passed away since last season.

Emma Hayes enjoys competing in dressage and has purchased two off-the-track thoroughbreds and is retraining them for polo, as she is a member of Bishopland Polo Club. Following also were Bernie, Laura, Emma and Sean Butler, Niall Cassidy, who whips-in to the West Wicklow Foxhounds. Ray Fisher, who runs the popular Hollywood Horse Trekking Centre, recalled days with the late Willie Leahy, well-known field master of the Galway Blazers.

Enjoying the day were Michael Fisher, Emma Smith, Julie Coyne, Niall Clancy, Bill Hanley, Ruth Hunter, Trudy Young, Ann Headon, Caroline Nash, Frank Mulvey and his daughter Lisa who, studying medicine, looked the picture of fitness and was assisting Grace Kerr whipping-in.

Stunning views

We made our way up the steep hill over Wilson’s and Creighton’s farm and, as somebody remarked, ‘It is a steep climb, but when you get to the top it will be worth it for the views’, and indeed it was as there below us was Pollaphuca Lake with the Wicklow Hills, the Black Hills, Sorrel and Mullaghvaun in the background.

Jack Keane’s farm was next and Jack liked to school his point-to-pointers on the hill and they must have been super fit. His son James now farms the land. Ronan Wilson is a fountain of historic information and told me about the ancient legend of the hunt that took place over the hill at Glending as the Puca, an old Celtic figure that can appear as the Devil or Goblin and can change into an animal, led a pack of hounds, where suddenly there was no bridge and five and a half couple of hounds were lost. Fortunately for Mr Kerr’s Beagles, there were no such problems on the day!

Grace Kerr drew a long line of furze on the hill in Keane’s and there was the odd whimper back and forward before a crescendo of fine voices, as a brace of foxes ducked in and out of the covert as they continued back and forward up through the gorse and, eventually, they decided to leave for a nice run to the bottom of the valley and then in a right-hand circle.

But looking back, a deer that had been sitting tight, headed for the upper hill, where his colleague was waiting on top. Whipper-in Desmond Bell remarked that, in all his years hunting, this was one of the biggest foxes he has ever seen, testament to the fine dining available at night for foxes in the Blessington area.

After a brief check, Grace drew the valley up hill and another brace of foxes were on the run and the pack were spoiled for choice, as these customers were slow to leave Clarke’s farm and I could see why. It is all old pasture with long stretches of gorse and dry ferns making it a very comfortable place to live and they probably head down to the local village to dine.

Also, there are many trees full of red haw berries, so birds will not be hungry in the winter, but one can also make jams and chutney with them. They are also a well-known treatment for improving blood circulation and for people with blood pressure and coronary problems. There were also patches of nettles and whitethorn, a popular diet for butterflies.

The final draw was along the top of the hill and, after a holler from Grace’s mother Finola, hounds got a nice slow run before Grace blew for home. It was a smashing day out in spectacular surroundings with such friendly people and followers got a chance to sharpen up on their fitness following a great young huntsman and a smashing pack of happy hounds.