Gavin Shorten, huntsman on the Tipperary Foxhounds, and James ODonnell meet at the Rock of Cashel. Photo Catherine Power.
Here is a wonderful hunt report of the Tipp’s this past February.
There are many special days on the sporting calendar, but this meet of the Tipp’s at the foot of the Rock of Cashel promised to be all of the above and more besides. In addition, it was going to be their hunt ball night, the first ever to be held in the newly refurbished 5-star Cashel Palace. The ball was a sell-out with all 220 tickets sold and several on the reserves hoping they might get balloted in before they went to post.
According to local legends, the Rock of Cashel originated from the Devil’s Bit, when St. Patrick banished Satan from a cave, resulting in the Rock’s landing in Cashel. Not since 1647 during the confederate wars when the rock was besieged by troops under Murrough O’Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin, was there so much mounted activity on this day at the foot of the famed Rock of Cashel.
Horses and hounds had un-boxed in the Rock car park among buses and some amazed Japanese tourists who had never seen the like’s before. The drill was to make the short hack to Ryan’s yard just at the foot of the Rock where Cashel Palace staff were on hand to distribute restorative drinks and other good things to sustain the riders for what lay ahead. Believe – they needed it all!
Huntsman Gavin Shorten gave our photographer just a little time beyond the set time of 11:00, which gave us a chance to catch up on old friends both mounted and on foot. He was hunting fourteen and a half couple of Modern hounds and assisting him was amateur whipper-in James O’Donnell. James first started his hunting career turning hounds to Pat O’Brien as far back as 1997. In the meantime, he has taken up a career with Coolmore Stud, but he can juggle his working time to be available in the hunting field on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
There to greet us were hunt secretary, Roseann DeVereHunt and her partner Aidan Fogarty, who was the field master. Not only that, he had drunk countless cups of tea with all the landowners in the previous week to ensure that all would go smoothly on the day. And as he later explained, he was turned down nowhere. They had young Chloe Tobin out her on her first day mounted with parents Joe and Joanne in close support. Roseanne, who was riding a smashing grey owned by former master Marie Marron, has acquired a profile far outside the realms of hunting as the star of the TV program “Selling Ireland’s Most Expensive Homes”.
Aidan Fogarty Field Master, Roseanne De Vere Hunt Secretary, and Chleo Tobin on their lovely greys. Photo by Catherine Power.
Almost the first people we met were Col. Tom Freyne and his better half Jacqui, as always well mounted and beautifully turned out. Tom is O.C. of the Irish Army Equitation School based in McKee barracks in Dublin. Another former master out was Paul Ronan and his cousin Jack, whose families are steeped in all things connected with the hunt.
It was great to see the veteran John Breen mounted on a smashing grey that had been produced for him by Shane, who sadly couldn’t be there as he is jumping in Dubai. He introduced me to three girls visiting from the Ledbury who are fellow students with young Jack Kennedy, son of a solicitor and hunt stalwart Patrick from Killenaule who was out on foot. The Hyde’s are synonymous with hunting in Cashel, and representing the family was Trish Hyde who hunted for many years with the Tipp’s, the neighboring Scarteen, and further afield. The two Tim’s were gone point-to-pointing on the day as young Daniel had a ride in the Ward Union meeting. He had a winner the following day on the home-trained Focus Point at Ballycrystal. Other veterans on foot were Clare Ryan and Sue Perry, two cracking girls in their day. James Coonan (brother of racing solicitor Andrew) was out with his daughter Katie.
Jacqui Freyne sails over the wall with style. Photo by Catherine Power.
Coffee housing couldn’t last too long. Gavin, with a short note on the horn, went to the first draw just off the main Dundrum Road in land belonging to Philip Maher who was hunting on the day. Philip runs an auctioneering business in Cashel and is a keen hunting man to boot. It wasn’t all plain sailing, however. Getting into Philips field involved jumping a good, stiff wall with a really decent drop on landing off the Dundrum road, and our photographer (under pressure) jumped first. This was a masonry wall, while very unforgiving, jumped surprisingly well. Field master Aidan Fogarty gave a smashing lead complete with a crimson armband closely followed by hunt chairman Sean Brett on his good chestnut. The two Freyne’s gave a very stylish display but on landing the gallant colonel’s saddle gave away leaving him riding on one pedal. He saw out the day as a non-riding captain while Jacqui went on to have a stormer. Paul Ronan caught my eye, as the old master has lost none of his style. While everyone didn’t jump it, the great majority did.
The two veterans Nick Seale, former field master of the Heythrop and his partner Celia Mills on two proper hunters made nothing of the wall. Likewise, Thomond O’Mara of Fethard and Ber Bourke of Leinster Farm took it in their stride. Hounds found and crossed the Ardmayle road into the old race course complete with a grandstand remaining as a sentinel of past glories. This is galloping country with big open spaces where a blood horse would shine. For all that, after a few fields, Reynard found a welcoming home and was left.
Gavin Shorten, huntsman of The Tipperary Foxhounds, on his way to the next draw from Hore Abbey. Photo by Catherine Power.
They went on to draw a plantation just off the Dundrum road and hounds opened almost straight away. Not only were the Tipperary orchestra on song, but to hear huntsman Gavin joining in as a soloist was nothing short of joy. Reynard broke for the country running towards Cashel before crossing the road into Brittas House Stud, which is part of the Coolmore Stud empire. This is a very smart property, and it was a sight to see hounds and those in the field streaming across the parkland with the ancient lime trees as observers. Again, Reynard found respite in a welcoming shore, and hounds drew on to what is known as the long plantation. Here with little delay, they were off for what was going to be the hunt of the day. They crossed the link road into O’Keeffe’s of Hore Abbey, where there was some serious jumping. They ran right for the town where the field under pressure jumped a good stiff wall onto the road just down from the mart. With hounds running hard there was no time for second thoughts recalling the lines
Hard and tall stood the rasping wall
that lay beyond us yonder.
It had to be taken at speed or not at all
better to fall than to ponder.
Hore Abbey ruins in Cashel. Photo by Larry Herfindal.
Young Louise O’Brien from Duhallow, who rode so well in the Golden Button, sat into her horse and never broke her stride. The apple, it appears, doesn’t fall far from the tree as she is a daughter of Rory’s, a legend in his own lifetime across the country.
Hounds ran right around the town on the Golden side before again going back into Hore Abbey. But like all good things it had to come to an end, and hounds marked under the ruins of Hore Abbey. A remarkable day by any standard.
To complete a perfect day, the hunt ball (a sell-out) with Jerome Casey representing Coolmore Stud had a very special auction. The stand-out lot of that or any other hunt ball sale was a nomination to the great Camelot, generously presented to the hunt by Coolmore and the Magnier Family. It made the full asking price of €60K which will allow the hard-working hunt committee to look to the future with confidence. A perfect finish to a perfect day
The Tipperary team: Chairman Sean Brett, Hon Sec. Roseanne DeVere-Hunt, Point to Point Secretary Caroline Ryan, Huntsman, Gavin Shorten, Whipper-In James O’Donnell, Field Master Aidan Fogarty
History
Founded around 1820 they were originally known as the “The Grove Foxhounds” from where they were hunted by William Barton of wine fame. They were then taken on by Henry, Marquess of Waterford, who hunted them for several seasons. They really entered their golden era under the mastership of Evan Williams, who won the last peacetime Grand National on Royal Mail, to be followed by Michael Higgins, who showed marvelous sport for over twenty seasons.
Some Former masters
Henry, Marquess of Waterford, 1840-43; A Committee 1906-08; Sir Thomas Ainsworth 1928-32; Mrs. Masters 1935-53; The Earl of Donoughmore 1947-53; Capt. Evan Williams 1953-71; Michael Higgins 1973-91; Tom Ronan 1991-96; and Tim Hyde 1991-2002.
Originally published on June 20, 2023.