Moving off from Ballyduff to the first draw are (l-r) Philip Desmond, MFH; whipper-in Alan Curley; huntsman Donal McAuliffe; and Field Master Connie Curley. / Catherine Power photo
Philip Desmond must be one of the best-known names in Irish hunting, be it in Cork or Waterford, and why wouldn’t it be? In addition to farming, he has hunted the Cloyne Harriers, the Dungarvan Foxhounds, and the famed Avondhu in North Cork. He is now Joint-Master of the West Waterford but no longer carries the horn. That task has been passed on to Donal McAuliffe, a young dairy farmer. It would be hard to find a more enthusiastic huntsman than he, this side of Leicestershire.
The invitation from Philip was concise. “Be on the bridge at Ballyduff by eleven on Saturday if you want to see some proper hunting.”
Thaddeus 'Thady' Ryan of Scarteen was Master of the family pack of Kerry Beagles from 1946 to 2005, the year of his passing. Records show this unique breed of hounds has been in the Ryan family at Scarteen for ten consecutive generations stretching back more than three centuries. The pack hunted hare in the earlier years, then the stag, and finally, in 1927, the fox.
Thady Ryan, MFH, and Tommy O'Dwyer with the Scarteen Hounds at Knocktoran Bog, 1982. / From the painting by Peter Curling
The period from the early 1950s through the 1960s was an era of amateur Master/huntsmen where young men of some means would take on a pack of hounds more as an avocation than a job. I was fortunate to have hunted with many of them such as Thady Ryan in Scarteen, Evan Williams in Tipperary, Lord Daresbury in Limerick, Capt. Harry Freeman-Jackson in Duhallow, Victor McCalmont in Kilkenny, Elsie Morgan in West Waterford, and PP Hogan in Avondhu.
Over the next couple of months, I hope to bring short hunting biographies of these remarkable sportsmen, recalling a time of long days in the field and even longer hunts when the leading horsemen of those times flocked to Ireland to experience the magic and challenge of hunting in the south of Ireland.
Kacey-Lou Carberry, 12, jumps ditch and bank cleanly off the road on a competent coloured cob on loan from Master Stephen O'Connor's family. / Catherine Power photo
Tuesday, December 2, 2021, was a gala day in Co. Meath, Ireland. Not only were the usual crack Ward Union jockeys out, but also in the field was a group of world-class showjumpers.
Shane Breen, Joint-Master of the Scarteen Black and Tans and a member of the Irish National Showjumping team, had arranged for a group of showjumpers to experience the mystique and magic of hunting in Ireland, in general, and with the Ward Union, in particular. Team Ireland was just back from Portugal, where they had emerged victorious in the Nations Cup finals the week before.
Our subscription blog and e-magazine, FHL Week, is packed with captivating content, while offering valuable reference materials and resources, all in one convenient place.