With Tom Fulton
HUNTING ROUNDUP Around the meets The Iveagh Foxhounds meet at Tullyorior, near the home of joint master and trainer Sarah Dawson, who was unavoidably absent on racing duties, underlined why huntsman Jack Harris, in his first season here, is enjoying a burgeoning reputation. Jack had on an 18½ couple mixed pack with Modern English, Old English and even some Welsh blood on view which, in a very short time, he has fashioned into a hard driving and workman like pack. Assisted here by Alan Watson he moved off and immediately drew the nearby Smith’s Bog. Hounds put one fox afoot to presage a short but fast hunt before this customer went to ground. Jack drew steadily around Tullyorior and hounds put a second fox afoot in increasingly windy conditions. They pushed their fox hard and he gave them and the mounted field, under Alexander Mills MFH, much to do to keep up. This hunt finished with our pilot being marked to ground near one of the areas featured in the TV series “Game of Thrones” at the former Ballievy Factory Mill. At McGrath’s hounds were shown to their absolute best. Having put another fox afoot they pushed him very hard
with all 18½ couple doing so and all in very good voice. This hunt ended with the fox going to ground in a pipe at Finney’s Oil. As it was now late afternoon and so much ground had been covered to leave us quite a distance from the meet Jack Harris blew for home. In talking to the huntsman back at the meet he said to me “I’m not just saying this because you’re here but that was our least day yet.” No wonder his reputation is growing! It was good to see two former Masters Bob Wilson and John Porter, who himself hunted these hounds for several years, nod in approval as they watched the new man at work. The West Wicklow Foxhounds’ biennial visit to the East Down Foxhounds’ took place at Crossgar and saw visiting huntsman Rupert Macauley MFH, with his joint masters Christy Hart and Judy Moloney produce his steadiest hounds. Rupert was assisted by whippers –in brothers Paul and Christopher Hart and by Ronan Moloney while the East Down joint masters, Pat Turley and Donna Quail had charge of the mounted field. On a chilly day, where the wind was building strongly throughout, Rupert first drew off Lough Road on the Ervine family land. In the second covert
hounds put a fox afoot and he gave a sharp hunt right through McCleary’s before going to ground at Beechview Road. A second series of draws, across Ervine’s, all proved blank as did a number of draws in Ferris’s. Hounds fared no better back in Ervine’s but when they drew David Stevenson’s they put another fox afoot and a fast circular hunt ensued before this fox was lost. Rupert next drew right across Roy Carlisle’s, David McClurg’s and then Armstrong’s without success. By now, thinking of the long drive back to County Wicklow, the huntsman blew for home to allow everyone to enjoy the hospitality of the nearby “Davidson’s on the hill” restaurant.
Galtee Foxhounds raise E2,600 for the Air Ambulance A fundraising effort by the Galtee Foxhounds has resulted in a total of E2,600 being collected for the North Cork based Air Ambulance. Huntsman Kevin Casey, having heard that the Ambulance had been suspended through lack of funds, decided to see what he could do. He organised an auction, with himself as auctioneer, and the articles sold included an original Galtee Hunt
Irish Country Sports and Country Life Autumn 2020
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