Meath Foxhounds huntsman John Henry and whipper-in Barry Finnegan with the hosts of the meet, Charlie Noell owner of Ardbraccan, and Serina Williams Ellis at Ardbraccan House . Photo by Noel Mullins.
Noel Mullins gives a hunt report from last November about a meet of the Meath Foxhounds at Ardbraccan House in County Meath, Ireland.
History
The foundation of the Meath Foxhounds began when Mr. Nicholson of Balrath founded a pack in County Meath in 1723. Then Mr. Pollock of Mountainstown and Mr. Gerrard of Gibbstown formed the Clongill Hunt, which in 1817 became the Meath Hunt.
The chairman is Edward Galvin, along with joint masters Norman Williamson (who rode the winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Champion Hurdle in the same year) Pat Dillon, Bill Dwan, and Andrew Boyd. Brothers John Henry and Kenny Henry alternate as huntsmen with Barry Finnegan the professional whipper-in. The huntsmen alternate as field masters when not hunting hounds. The honorary secretary is Sally Moorehead, and the honorary treasurer is Elainne Collier.
It was a bright, dry November morning for the Meath Foxhounds meet at American owner Charlie Noell’s Ardbraccan House, a Palladian-style country house near Navan in County Meath. Noell purchased the estate in 2013, and it’s been a work in progress since with renovations and lines of new fencing overseen by groundsman Paul Tobin. Tobin has the property nearly back to its glory days when the Church of Ireland Bishops of Meath occupied the house from 1770 to 1885. The bishops obviously did not like to get wet, so their carriages would set down at the side door and they could access the main house without the elements affecting them. No wax jackets around then! And there is stabling for ten horses down the steps on the same side that have been completely restored and occupied by Noell’s string of hunters. They are looked after by Sarah Meehan, whom many will know as both a keen hunt follower and also a talented side saddle rider. The horses are always beautifully turned out as Sarah has particularly high standards.
Charlie Noell from Maryland in the USA is a business partner of John Jay Moores with interests in both the USA and Europe. Noell has built up his number of broodmares, both at Merriebelle Stables at Ardbraccan and Chanteclair Stud in Kentucky, since the purchase of thirty brood mares from Kilfrush Stud in County Limerick. He is also a sponsor of the Cheltenham Racing Festival and has an interest in racing in the USA with an ambition to win the Maryland Hunt Cup, run annually over the most challenging timber fence course in the world. Recently Irish trainer John Joseph ‘Shark’ Hanlon has been in the news having won the richest jumps race in America worth $250,000 with his special horse, Hewick. Irish jockeys like Meath’s Ross Geraghty dominate the jumps scene in the US.
A Stable of Ardbraccan Traditional Irish Hunters
Great credit goes to Charlie Noell, who would normally hunt thoroughbreds with the Elkridge and the Green Spring Valley Hunts in Maryland. His stable in Ireland consists of a string of Traditional Irish Hunters that Sarah Meehan produces for every hunting day under her expert eye. She had them looking in showing condition with gleaming coats, alert, and eyes focussed on the hounds. Charlie was on Basil, a Traditional Irish Draught by Coosheen Ballymurphy, and interior designer Serena Williams Ellis was on a cob Irish named King Billy. Charlie persuaded Mick Flanagan, who manages the thoroughbreds on the farm and who has not ridden a horse for seven years, to hunt on another Irish Draught by Mountain Pearl. Niamh Hoey was on an Ardbraccan Irish Sport Horse by Crosstown Dancer, and Sarah Meehan was on yet another Irish Sport Horse by Royal Touch. Amanda and Nick Caledon were at the meet, and Amanda, who used to hunt with the South Tyrones in Northern Ireland where they own the family’s extensive Caledon Estate, has moved her hunter by Crannach Hero to Charlie’s stable to hunt with the Meaths.
The Meath Foxhounds Masters on the day were Norman Williamson and Pat Dillon. Sadly, Joint Master Richard Trimble has retired after 19 seasons of sterling service. But in the past, they had some North American Masters like Charlie Bird from Pennsylvania and Gene Kruger from Canada.
Hunt Staff & Masters
The huntsman on the day was John Henry who had 21 ½ couple of the bitch pack out with his brother Kenny, who hunts the dog-hound pack, acting as field master.
The new chairman Edward Galvin of Ardmulchan Castle, whose father Sean previously was a Meath Joint Master, was one of the most popular and hardworking masters from 1981 – 93. Edward was in the news recently owning a winner Queens Gamble bred at the family Ardmulchan Stud having won the concluding mares’ bumper recently at Cheltenham Racecourse trained by Oliver Sherwood for Edward and Alexander Frost. The horse is out of Gambling Girl who won seven races when trained by Jessica Harrington.
Followers
Ready for the action were Jill Revill, who has whipped in and hunted hounds herself, Sarah Meehan, Niamh Hoey, Mick Flanagan, Aoife Murray, Sarah Blyth, Elizabeth Oakes, Marita and Roisin Dunne, Oliver and Emer Callaghan, Jodie Kidd, and Janet Williamson with her daughter, Carla, who is doing so well eventing circuit. Her son, Josh, has also had a great eventing season. Josh was riding out at top trainer Gordon Elliots and has got his license to ride on the track. Also following were Kenneth Regan, Evan Henry, and Willie Smyth, who has clocked up at least sixty-six seasons!
Enjoying the hospitality also were Tara Harriers’ kennel huntsman Sabine Dowdall, her sister Tara and daughter Mia, Jan Farrell, Tony Coyle, Kit Henry, Billy Blyth, Paul Dolan, Albert Sherry, Ann Marie Kidd, and Rita Dunne.
Sarah Blyth and field master Kenny Henry at the Meath Foxhounds meet at Ardbraccan House. Photo by Noel Mullins.
Hunting
Before moving off, Joint Master Pat Dillon first thanked the host Charlie Noell. Master Dillon then asked for a minute’s silence in memory of one of the most colourful Meath followers, Peter Newell, who sadly passed away earlier this year. Peter, distinctive in his top hat, was a race rider, a polo player, and a successful horse breeder in addition to a lifelong hunt follower. In fact, the day before he died, he asked that his homebred filly, Surroundings, run in Galway. She obliged handsomely to win the Arthur Guinness EBF Corrib Fillies Stakes at 10/1. Peter was a grandson of the legendary wealthy American master and huntsman, Isaac Bell, who hunted both the Galway Blazers, Kilkenny, and South & West Wilts Foxhounds. Bell also wrote the classic hunting book, ‘A Huntsman’s Log’.
There are many stories about Peter’s experiences in the hunting field. He only took a direct line across country, and he was always so well turned out, recognizable by his silk top hat. He had a bad fall one day and was concussed so had to be assisted to the road. Gaining consciousness near the road, he realized he was missing his top hat. He asked one of those assisting him to go back and find his hat. He stressed he could not go to the hospital unless he was properly dressed!
Hunting
The huntsman drew the laurels along the avenue with 21 ½ couple of the bitch pack, but there was nobody at home.
Here I have to admit that the stories were so amusing at the crossroads that we missed the next draw at Knockcumber. Tony Coyle and Kit Henry kept Albert Sherry, Ann Marie Kidd, Paul Dolan, and myself entertained with hunting stories, many of Kit’s father Johnny, who hunted the Meaths for over 50 seasons. Unfortunately, many can’t be seen in print, but one was of a well-known gentleman who had diabetes. His wife closely monitored and recorded his blood readings every morning before she approved of him going hunting. Desperate to get an acceptable blood reading one hunting morning, unknown to his wife, he decided instead to take the blood sample from his son’s finger. His wife was so delighted with it that she immediately wished him a happy day’s hunting!
Huntsman John Henry Jr assures me that hounds were on song in Knockcumber where they found and ran in a local loop towards Tara Lead & Zinc Mines. There they fortunately checked.
The disused Ardbraccan Quarry held as usual. Hounds were hunting as a pack around the extensive lake, pressurizing their pilot to break cover in a line across country, and ending up at the home base of Duffy’s Circus. The founder, Tom Duffy, sadly passed away this year. He was born in his parents’ caravan in Limavaddy in Northern Ireland. Duffy was the affable ringmaster, a fine horseman, acrobat, and trapeze artist in his youth. He toured the highways and byways of Ireland for 90 years. He was known as ‘The Greatest Showman’.
The pack found again in Bradys’ Plantation and took a line towards O’Callaghans Joinery, where they marked him. Proprietor Ollie was out hunting on the day.
The last draw was Coffey’s Bog, which was blank, but it was a smashing day for the beginning of the season.
In the meantime, it has been a busy time for the huntsman, John, and his wife, Mary. Two of their children, Evan, who was hunting, graduated as an engineer. And his daughter, Rhiann, graduated as a teacher. We wish them well in their careers.
Originally published on June 18, 2023.