Annual meeting of the North Kerry Harriers at Glin Castle / Catherine Power photo
It has become something of a Christmas tradition for Catherine and me to visit the North Kerry Harriers at their invitation meet at Glin Castle in those days between Christmas and the New Year. This season the day fell on Sunday, December 29, 2019, and the keen, hard working hunt secretary, Shannon O’Mahony, was in overdrive. My computer and phone were in danger of collapse such was the volume of texts, emails, and What’s Apps describing the glory of Glin Castle and especially a sidesaddle day the hunt had organised.
Sure enough on arrival the large square was jam-packed with horse boxes and trailers of all classes and descriptions. The picturesque village is just on the Kerry border and about an hour’s drive from Limerick. As always the focal point is O’Shaughnessy’s Pub, strategically located near the main gate to the castle and it’s demesne. Locally, the pub is better known as “The Captain’s,” a name that harks back to a previous seafaring owner. Tradition has it that when the captain came ashore he set up a huge salmon exporting business from Glin to the Billingsgate fish market. In those halcyon days, salmon could be taken by the ton from the estuary which can be seen from the front door of the pub.
Sharon Burke, Alice Copithorne, and Ella Geary on the way to the castle. / Catherine Power photo
The Captain’s was buzzing with jockeys of all descriptions, including a flock of very elegant sidesaddle ladies. All the regulars were on hand: Master and huntsman David Trant having a final council of war with whipper-in Fergal Sheridan, a veterinary surgeon in the local Livestock Development Office. Dr. Sheridan started his hunting career in his native Cavan with the Ballymacad before venturing to north Kerry. He assured me that the national herd was being well cared for even on hunting days! His fellow whipper-in is young Rachel Martin from Ballylongford who is studying for her Leaving Cert this year. A more knowledgeable or enthusiastic hunt staff member would be hard to find. She hopes to be doing Veterinary by this time next year.
Best friends Daniel King and the O’Connor brothers, Tom, and Denis, failing somehow to match the elegance of the ladies. / Catherine Power photo
From Dingle came Brendan O’Connor with a load of ponies for his three children—Tom, Denis, and Eibhilin with Young Daniel King thrown in for good measure. All are keen young riders who had driven more than two hours to today’s meet.
Hunt chairman Mike O’Sullivan looked very smart in his green livery. His son Denis has now been hunting the Ormond foxhounds for more than ten seasons. Joint-Field Masters were Noels Stack and Mike Mangan, whose son Jerry is a point-to-point jockey. Potters Corner, who only recently won the Welsh National run at Chepstow, was produced by the O’Sullivan Family.
The sidesaddle day was the brain child of hunt secretary Shannon O’Mahony, a psychiatric nurse in Listowel. As well as her nursing and hunting duties she is currently studying for her master’s degree. She looked especially smart in her sidesaddle habit, riding a very attractive coloured cob owned by Jeremiah O’Connor. Also riding aside were were Soracha Meehan, a final-year radiographer from Pallaskenry who was out with her mum, Anne; Rose Concannon from Kerry was joined by Emma Geary; and Alice Copithorne from Kinsale.
Sharon Burke neatly over a rough spot on her competent-looking field hunter / Catherine Power photo
Sharon Burke, who just recovered from a serious pelvic injury, was riding sidesaddle. From Clare came Susanne Arthur on a fine grey, accompanied by her dad, Jim, both of whom I meet regularly with the County Clares. Also from the Banner county were Soracha Redmond from Ennis and Grainne Davoren who was adjudged the leading lady rider and was presented with a smashing hamper.
Suzanne Arthur having a cut at it on her lovely grey / Catherine Power photo
Another member of the caring profession is Emily Vial, beautifully turned out in a blue habit. She informed me ruefully that she had had only an hour’s sleep as she had been working as a paramedic the previous night Originally from Donegal, she has remained loyal to the accent but in every other way is fully assimilated into the kingdom.
As the angelus bell tolled the hour, hounds were un-larged and jockeys (all sixty of them) mounted. Huntsman David Trant blew “moving off” on a coaching horn borrowed for the occasion from the bar, while hounds and the field were led on a tour of the village with many locals standing at their doors and applauding as hounds passed.
Our next stop was the castle itself where hunt staff and field were refreshed with hot port and such provided by castle manager Clare Whyte from Clonmel. The castle was the ancestral home of the Knights of Glin , a title that goes back to the arrival of the Normans around 1169 when Strongbow landed in Bannow bay. The late and last knight was Desmond Fitzgerald the twenty-ninth holder of the office. His daughter Catherine and her husband Dominick West now own the estate. The castle can be rented for special occasions and regularly hosts weddings and such. A recent resident was the American singer Taylor Swift who stayed for a couple of weeks with her entourage.
As well as the sixty or so mounted, there was a huge turnout of foot followers, of which many had made the trip specially to see hounds, the sidesaddles, and especially the castle in a way that would not be normally possible. Of course there was a photo call for hounds and field outside of the castle, joined by huntsman David Trant on a smashing grey with his two daughters, Eabha, twelve, and Molly, all of ten. Both girls go to school locally at Dromclough National school. David and his brother run a very substantial purebred dairy herd at their farm near Listowel where hounds are also kennelled.
Formalities over, David with nine and a half couple of home bred hounds, moved off to the first draw which was literally in sight of the castle. The estate which is run as a commercial dairy farm has loads of covert, mostly old woodland of native species.
While the first covert was drawn blank, as hounds drew on a whimper was heard which quickly turned into a crescendo. The estate is well served with hunt jumps and natural fences. Under the direction of our guide Peter O’Mahony (Shannon’s dad) we were kept well up with the action. With hounds running, the field came at a good lick over a series of hunt jumps. The sidesaddle girls were not found wanting but palm must go the veteran Anne O’Grady on a four-year-old who came down the line of fences at hurdle race speed. Not surprisingly, Anne is the niece of Martin and Tim Molony, the all time greats as national hunt jockeys.
Washing off at day’s end in the convenient estuary of the Shannon River / Catherine Power photo
The field had marvellous fun all day with loads of jumping and scenery to die for. Completing a perfect day riders all walked their horses into the endless estuary of the Shannon River to wash off the sweat and mud in water just up to their saddles, emerging spotless.
But the day was not quite over. Food and a singsong with resident sheanachai Tom Moore from Moyvane—with tales of fine maidens and feats of valour, sounding like a review of the day—provided a fine finish!
Posted January 12,2020
This article previously appeared in The Irish Field and is republished with permission.
North Kerry Harriers:
Chairman and Master: Michael O’Sullivan
Secretary: Shannon O’Mahony
Point-to-point secretary: Bernadette Hanrahan
Huntsman: David Trant
Whipper-in: Fergal Sheridan, Rachel Martin
Field Master: Jeremiah O’Connor, Noel Stack, Mike Mangan
History: Formed by a group of hunting farmers from North Kerry in 2002 to promote sport of hunting. Members also involved in point-to-point, hunt chase, team chase, and charity rides.