I AM often asked when I report on a drag hunt what the hunt uses for the drag? Aniseed was popular, but other products are now available online. When I reported on a hunt in the UK some years ago, a master was using urine from a lion in London Zoo. I am sure collecting it must have been dangerous, but as far as know he is still alive, (the master I mean), and has all his digits. Goes to show that some hunt followers will risk anything for the sake of a good hunt!

Visiting the South County Dublin Harriers at Lacken brought back memories of my hunting with them in the past. One meet stands out in the 1980s when I was invited to hunt by Billy Brannigan of Ballymacarney Stud, and Ned Hughes to a meet at Myos Pub in Castleknock when the area was not so built up. Hughes suggested that we delay in Myos Pub until the hunt had finished hunting the first line as he did not like jumping wire. We had some more ‘jumping juice’ and we set off on horseback feeling no pain to the second draw in Lord Iveagh’s Farmleigh Estate long before the State purchased it and what a memorable day we had. Another highlight was an invitation from Hughes to his Tack Room Party at his home in Castleknock at Christmas where the beer was kept cool in the feed buckets!