For the Love of Dog Alan Buckley
For the Love of Dog Alan Buckley
For my Father
Clogheen Harriers Fairhill Northern Hunt Southern and Carrigaline Harriers GriďŹƒn United Kerry Pike MayďŹ eld Irish Hound Trailers
It
is said that a walk on Cork's Northside at dawn or dusk will include the sight of a man or woman walking a drag hound. Unfortunately not many people are aware that this is a dedicated sportsperson at work or that this is just a glimpse of the devotion that occurs between trainer and dog.
Draghunting is a little known sport outside the circles who practice it, despite drag hounds or 'harriers' being a familiar sight on the streets of the north and south side of the city for over 100 years. Born as a substitute for hunting in the summer season, the sport began as a friendly competition between hunting clubs who would train their fastest dogs to follow a man made trail instead of an animal scent. Drag hunting has not changed from this formula in all the time of its existence, trails are still laid out by 'Pullers', men who drag an aniseed scented rag across fields and the respect for the countryside so strong 100 years ago is just as strong now. Laying the trail requires a skill of its own, too short a drag doesn't leave much room for sport, too long a drag and the dogs can become exhausted. Permission to cross the land is required from farmers and can take weeks to secure, relationships between clubs and farmers take years to develop and in return for permission the land is treated with the utmost respect.
The trail is walked again before the event can be called finished and any damage caused is repaired. This respect for the land is carried over into all aspects of the sport and is most visible in the relationship between trainer and dog. To ask a trainer which was their favourite dog would be the same as asking who their favourite child is. The dedication and care that goes into training a hound cannot be measured in money spent on vet bills or trophies aquired in wins but only in time spent out walking on rainy nights, hours spent searching for hounds that have lost the trail or the heartbreaking goodbyes to old dogs that have passed on. This may not be the sport of kings or queens or landed gentry, it is the sport of the common man, those who don't need vast prizes or fame to know that they are dedicated to their sport but do it for the love of both the sport and their dogs. I began this photographic project to document the drag as an event, to capture the love for the dogs, the comradery and competitiveness of participants and to show the world a story of dedication that few are familiar with. In doing so I have refreshed long neglected memories of the sport of my childhood and found a love for the sport that has been in my family's blood for generations.
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Acknowledgements I would like to thank my father for the help he provided in the creation of this book. The dedication demonstrated in this book is a pale reflection of the work you have put into drag-hunting over your lifetime. Long may it continue. I would like to thank the Cork City and County Harriers Association for allowing me to photograph their events and Susan Walsh for her invaluable help and friendship.
For the Love of Dog