Duahallow huntsman Ger Withers / Catherine Power photoFounded by the Wrixon-Becher family, the Duhallow foxhounds have been hunting North Cork from the Kerry border to Doneraile continuously since 1745 making it the oldest foxhound pack in Ireland. (For those who question how to reconcile that with the Scarteen, the recorded history of which goes back to the early 1700s, the keyword is “foxhounds.” The Scarteen Black and Tans are technically known as Kerry Beagles, though they dwarf any beagles we know today.)
The Duhallow pack existed before 1745, but there is no recorded history. That year, Henry Wrixon of Ballygiblin rented a fox covert, Regan’s Break, for thirteen guineas. Henry passed the pack on to his son, Colonel William Wrixon, who in turn passed it on to his own son. In 1800, Sir William Wrixon Becher, MFH met with several other gentlemen to form a club to be called the Duhallow Hunt Club. Sir William had taken on his wife’s maiden name, Becher, she from the same family for which the infamous obstacle on the Grand National Steeplechase course at Aintree, England, Becher’s Brook, is named.
In the first official Grand National in 1839, Captain Martin Becher fell from his mount, Conrad, and took shelter in the brook to avoid being jumped on by the rest of the field. The original jump consisted of an eight-foot-wide brook with a fence set back by one yard in front of the water, the ground on the landing side being three feet lower than the take-off side. The Duhallow hosted the birth of National Hunt Racing in Ireland and produced some of the most remarkable horsemen from Captain Becher to Vincent O’Brien and John Joe O’Neill.
In 1822, Sir William Wrixon Becher resigned his Mastership and gave the hounds to the hunt, after which it became a subscription pack hunting the same country today.
What follows is Dickie Power’s account of a recent Opening Meet of the Duhallow at Kilbrin.
Senior Master Kate Jarvey / Catherine Power photoKilbrin is in the heart of Duhallow near Liscarrol and roughly half way between Buttevant and Kanturk. Fame came early to Kilbrin as it was the birthplace of Archbishop Croke. This pious patriot, after whom Croke Park is named saw his early days in Kilbrin.
Hounds were enlarged on a green just behind the village and it made a smashing sight with a dash of scarlet from the beautifully turned out hunt staff and masters. Senior Master Kate Jarvey was the exception to the colour scheme as she was turned out in a very smart blue hunt coat. Kate Horgan made a welcome return visit having been Master for over ten seasons and chairman of the Master’s of Foxhounds Association for a similar term.
Preliminaries over, it was time for action. With a field of almost seventy foxhunters, huntsman Ger Withers and sixteen-and-a-half couple of Old English hounds moved off to the first draw on Dan Reilly’s farm at Ballyhest. While hounds were drawing I had the chance to renew many Duhallow acquaintance’s. Kilmoganny Master James Phelan with whom I hunted recently was out on his new horse that had been prepared for him by Roger Kiely whose horses are always foot perfect. He is Kate Jarvey’s right-hand man and the performance of her horses speaks for itself.
Field Master Maurice Coleman, MFH / Catherine Powers photo
Roger was acting as assistant Field Maser with Maurice Coleman filling the number one spot. Maurice has been Field Master since the reign of Harry Freeman-Jackson who was the only Irishman ever to win Badminton, in addition to winning the Galway Plate. Maurice still crosses the country with a steely determination and enthusiasm of a Gold Cup-winning jockey. Farrier Alan Palmer gave an exhibition of vaulting on and off his grey. Catherine O’Flynn who runs Philip’s bookshop in Mallow was out and collecting caps, an essential function in any hunt. She had to make an early departure as she was hosting a book signing in the afternoon.
Conversation was cut short as hounds spoke, and after all too brief woodland hunting our pilot was viewed away by amateur whipper-in Paul Buckley, who, when is not hunting runs a garage in Kanturk.
To hear our huntsman sound the gone-away as hounds broke covert and hunting full steam across the old turf of Castlecor was the best tonic anyone could ask for. With horses mad fresh, a terrific dash ensued up the hill and towards the old Duhallow kennels beside Tim O’Connell’s farmyard. Tim who is the sixth generation of his family to farm Castlecor is an auctioneer and owns Castlecor estate. He was represented in the field by his daughter Rachel who was flying on a real quality type. Hounds had been kenneled here during the Mastership of the Wrixen-Bechers around 1800 when the hounds had moved from nearby Ballygiblin. Barely pausing by the old kennels, we galloped past the past, making for the Buttevant road. I was passed as if I was standing still by two very small boys on equally small ponies riding a finish. They certainly would not have been pulled in before the stewards as non triers! They turned out to be eleven-year-old Michael O’Meara whose dad Kevin was out and Tommy Ahern who farms extensively at Ballyclough. These young sportsmen had missed the meet as they were playing an early game of Rugby before hunting!
The O’Meara family hold a special place in the history and lore of Duhallow. The famed O’Meara twins, Dermot and Paddy, one a doctor and one a solicitor were the heart and soul of Duhallow for fifty years and produced all the current generations of O’Mearas. It was great to see the surviving patriarch, Paddy, age ninety-six, looking very sprightly at the meet and no doubt feeling justifiable pride to see his son Peter as Master. Peter is an auctioneer and was out with his son Charlie. The other Master out was Pat Hayes from Two Pot House who runs a country store in Mallow. Missing was solicitor Matt Nagle who was preparing for a particularly challenging case.
At far end of Castlecor our pilot was marked to ground and we pressed on and drew towards the water treatment plant. Kilbrin and it’s environs was awash with foxes on the day but sadly scent was in short supply and foxes sensing their impunity played ducks and drakes with hounds. We marked at least a brace to ground, which were left to enjoy a late lunch underground.
But our morning enjoyable could only be looked on as an appetizer for what was to follow. Hounds went on to draw Neenan’s conifer plantation. Third season dog Paddler by Duhallow Parson having shown interest in in a particularly briary thicket, shot in one side and like the old penny in the slot machines, a fox shot out the other side. Woodland hunting resulted but not for long as our pilot was viewed slipping away by young Adam Burke-Ott aged twelve but with the hunting experience of a veteran. He is son of Alex Ott whom readers will remember suffered horrific injuries from a fall on the road off a young horse. Happily he continues to improve and he was out following in his jeep. As for young Adam , If ever I saw a future huntsman of Duhallow it is he.
The way hounds settled on the line suggested it was one of those days when you would need to ram your hat well down and have the peak constantly pointed towards Buttevant. If what follows sounds confused it is because one farm morphed into another and I lost count of the number of roads I crossed.
In the meantime my photographer had been taken under the wing of Tim O’Connell and his son John, a student at Pallaskenry Ag college. The first check gave us time to gather breath and to see who was still up with the action. Candidate for father-of-the-year must go to Michael Williamson who runs a supermarket in Doneraile. He was out with his two young daughters, Lucy and Kate, with all three immaculately turned out. Riding at jockey weight on a confidential cob he carried a long lead rein to get the juniors over any particularly horrific Duhallow bank, He is brother to former champion jockey and Master of the Meath, Norman Williamson, who completed the Gold cup and Champion Hurdle double in 1995.
Jumping from an outside farm of O’Connell’s into forestry we met a nasty single, well guarded by trenches and as narrow on top as a drover’s stick. After some woodland hunting our pilot decided to return and we were faced with the self-same bank which if anything had become narrower. In addition, a root as thick as a wrist had emerged ready to entrap a horses leg. At this stage I was tracking Roger Kiely bringing on a future champion. The lead I had hoped for was a slow deliberate jump with sufficient time on top for the horse to re-adjust its feet. Sadly I was to be disappointed as he went over it like a scalded cat and of course my fellow decided to follow suit with no regard for the nasty root not to mention the jockey!
Behind us, time-out was called and it was decided the bank was un-jumpable. That made us the “twelve apostles,” roughly the number of us that got away and were lucky enough to be there when our huntsman blew his quarry to ground well over an hour after we found!
In the failing light we hacked back to Kilbrin, but sadly the village’s only pub has succumbed to modern times and was permanently shut. For all that it was a smashing day and confirms my view that if you want hunting, Duhallow are premier league!
Posted February 18, 2018
This article previously appeared in The Irish Field and is republished with permission.