George Briscoe, MH of the Tara Harriers for 71 years, greets Charlie Noell of Ardbraccan House, County Meath, and the Elkridge-Harford Hunt (MD). / Noel Mullins photo
If there were a title of Grand Master of Hounds in our hunting world, George Briscoe would certainly fit the bill. This season George Briscoe hosted his seventy-fifth consecutive opening lawn meet of his beloved Tara Harriers at Craystown, County Meath. The occasion marked his seventy-first season as Joint-Master, making his period as Master and for a time huntsman a world record. Especially when you consider that the majority of the hunt followers were not even born when he succeeded his father in the Mastership in 1942 at age twenty-one.
George is one of nature’s gentlemen, with a broad welcoming smile, a kind word for everybody, and unbounded passions for hunting, the farming community, and the Tara Harriers. He never misses an opportunity to remind followers of the illustrious history of the Tara Harriers. His sitting-room window looks out onto the Hill of Tara, the royal seat of the High Kings of Ireland—probably the most important ancient site in Ireland, the history of which goes back as early as 5,000 BC. George has penned two books on the life of a country gentleman which is a record of life around the big house, hunting, shooting, and fishing, as well as a few racy references just for good measure!
George was a great friend of Betty Bird and her husband Charlie, who was Joint-Master of the Meath Foxhounds from 1956-59 when George was hunt chairman. Later he hunted with the Bird’s home pack, Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds in Pennsylvania, USA. Interestingly one of George’s neighbours, Anne Kelly, left Ireland to work with Betty Bird producing horses for showing and hunting and settled in Pennsylvania. She married racehorse trainer Michael Moran whose mother Betty owned the Aintree Grand National winner, Papillion. Anne is now a Joint-Master of Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds.
Two new Masters have been appointed this season to the Tara Harriers. Imelda O’Donnell who grew up hunting in Tipperary before moving to the Meath area hunting with the Ward Union Hounds, where she had the distinction of being the first lady to be elected to the hunt committee. Harry Kellett who farms locally is the other. Aside from being a good man to cross country, he is as light on his feet as dancer Patrick Swayze, so the hunt balls should be memorable events!
In the field were Jockey Andrew Thornton, who rode the winner of the Irish Grand National Lion Na Bearnai last year, and his partner Clare Simpson. The couple look after the Tara staff hunters and run a training yard for flat and jumpers in Dunderry. Point to point rider Caroline Hutchinson was out, as was new world record holder for the side saddle high jump Susan Oakes. Visiting were Ian Wilson from the East Antrim, South Tyrone and Countyy Down Hounds, and Harry Rogers who hunts with the Dumfriesshire in Scotland.
From the USA were Jade Hubbard and Charlie Noell who hosted the Meath Foxhounds opening meet at his new home Ardbraccan House. Charlie is from Baltimore and hunts with the Elkridge-Harford Hunt in Maryland.
Huntsman Henry Smith is in his thirty-first season as Joint-Master, and his twelfth as huntsman. His horse was a birthday present from his wife Debbie. Kennel huntsman Sabine Dowdall is in her thirteenth season having taken over from her late father Terry, and has produced a beautifully balanced pack this season, having entered four couple with another seven-and-a-half couple for next season. Peter King whips-in, and he has two really good cobs to hunt.
Tara kennel huntsman Sabine Dowdall and Master and huntsman Henry Smith at Craystown / Noel Mullins photo
The Hunting Day
Cattle are still out, and huge tracts of land have been sown, so extreme care has to be taken with the land. Hounds drew around the briars in Donnelly’s of Ennistown, but it was blank. Huntsman Smith moved on quickly to the next draw in Curtistown which was also blank. They hacked on to Judy MacMahon’s in Lambertstown. Her late husband Lt. Col. Ronnie MacMahon was Commanding Officer of the Army Equitation School and represented Ireland in two Olympic Games—Munich ’72 and Montreal ’76—riding San Carlos. Her daughter Clare is a prominent point-to-point rider now living in England, where her husband Charlie Gundry is Joint-Master and huntsman of the Portman Foxhounds. Hounds hunted a fox around the covert that eventually went to ground, but the followers had fun jumping the made fences.
The pack found again in the wood in Punch and Caroline Preston’s farm at Swainstown and hunted well on into Rose Drumm’s, and in a circle, checking in Lambertstown. Caroline is a former Joint-Master of the Westmeath Foxhounds. A small wood near the road held, and the pack were quickly away to the other end of the farm back to McMahon’s in fine voice. They had another short run on a stale line in McAuley’s, around Swan’s Quarry through Paul Wright’s stubble finishing in Francis Steen’s. They found again in Mrs. Sheridan’s in Wringlestown on rough ground and hunted through Paul Donnelly’s into Trainer’s in a wide circle down by the Skeine River, where they called it a day.
Brief History
The Tara Harriers were originally known as the Bellinter Harriers, and were founded by Lord Tara. When John Preston the last of the Tara line passed away in 1870, Bellinter was left to G.V. Briscoe, the present Joint-Master’s grandfather. His will stipulated that the hounds were no longer to be known as the Bellinter, and the name changed to the Tara Harriers. However Masters and staff still wear the Bellinter hunt buttons.
Hunt Organisation
The Chairman is Henry Smith who is also Joint-Master and huntsman. His father Lancelot hunted a number of packs in Ireland including the Galway Blazers, the Island Foxhounds and the Fingal Harriers. The other Joint-Masters are George Briscoe, his daughter Lorainne McDowell, Henry Corbally, Imelda O’Donnell, and Harry Kellett. Kennel Huntsman is Sabine Dowdall who also whips-in with Peter King.
Posted December 7, 2013
Noel Mullins is a lifetime foxhunter and a retired computer marketing executive in Ireland. Visit his website for more of his work and his books.