County Louth foxhounds
Old English Hounds Thriving at Irish National Hound Show
Pair of Old English hounds. County Louth hound (foreground) shown by huntsman Alan Reilly / Noel Mullins photo
The Irish National Hound Show at Stradbally Hall, County Laois, Ireland keeps growing in both entries and spectators. This year the weather also played a positive role as hound enthusiasts were often three deep along the ringside, and a large number lingered and socialised long after the show was over.
Competition was keen in the foxhound ring where judge Nigel Peel, a well-known hunting correspondent himself (and a member of Foxhunting Life’s Panel of Experts), commented that the Old English hounds were some of the finest he has judged either in Ireland or in the UK, and the Modern English Hounds had real quality as well.
The Old English (or Traditionally-Bred) hounds and the Modern English hounds are judged separately in their own classes, but the winners of those classes come up against each other in the final championship classes for dogs and bi*ches.* On occasion the Old English hounds being bred today will prevail.
John Pickering and the End of an Era
John Pickering, one of Irish foxhunting’s witty raconteurs and colorful characters, passed away recently in his adopted town of Tuam, County Galway, Ireland. In his career he hunted the East Down Foxhounds, the Golden Vale Foxhounds, the Oriel Harriers, and was whipper-in and huntsman to the legendary Master of the Bermingham and North Galway Foxhounds, the late Lady Molly Cusack-Smith.
I first met him when he was hunting the Oriel Harriers in the 1980s. At a meet north of Dundalk, in County Louth, hounds put a fox away from Bell’s Covert, but he only ran a couple of hundred yards before going to ground in an earth in the middle of a field. To make matters worse his best hound Heckler was down in the earth with only his stern in view. Pickering sat casually back in the saddle and remarked, “I think I will have to take that hound to a shrink.”
“Why”, I asked, to which Pickering replied, “Because he thinks he’s a bloody terrier!”
The County Louth Foxhounds at Lisrenny Estate, Ireland
Mrs Sarah Angel, owner of the Louth Foxhounds, wishes new huntsman Alan Reilly well.The County Louth Foxhounds—founded in 1817 and one of the few packs of Old English breed of hounds in Ireland—have a new huntsman this season. Alan Reilly replaces Noel McKeever who sadly had to retire after nine seasons hunting hounds due to a recurring hunting injury.
The McKeever family has given exceptional service to this premier foxhound pack. Noel’s father Michael started working in the Louth kennels when he was fifteen years old. He whipped-in and hunted the hounds for a remarkable forty-four seasons.
Alan Reilly: New Huntsman at County Louth Foxhounds
Alan Reilly takes over next season as huntsman for the County Louth Foxhounds on the east coast of Ireland. He replaces Noel McKeever who has a had a recurring knee injury. McKeever has hunted the pack since 2002 when he took over from his father Michael who had whipped-in and hunted the pack for forty-two seasons. Reilly, a farrier by trade, has hunted with the County Louth Foxhounds since he was a teenager. He whipped-in to the Louths before furthering his experience as whipper-in to Charlie Gundry, huntsman of the Kilkenny Foxhounds. A serious fall sidelined him for a couple of seasons. On returning to the Louths, he whipped-in to Noel McKeever and will now carry the horn for this famous Old English pack that has been hunting some of the best ditch and stonewall country since 1817. The Louth hunting country is only thirty minutes from Dublin Airport. Visitors are welcome, and hirelings are available. Posted April 15, 2011
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The County Louth Foxhounds at Dunany Estate
Joy and Caroline Bellingham with huntsman Noel McKeever and hounds
Following the County Louth Foxhounds famous black, tan, and white Old English pack is a double pleasure when combined with one of its most popular autumn hunting meets, the Dunany Estate on the northeast coast of Ireland.
Despite the inconvenience of some of the issues presented by reaching the grand age of ninety-two, Joy Bellingham together with her daughter Caroline were out to view hounds draw the woods around their extensive estate. Both were enthusiastic followers of the Louth, Meath, and Kildare foxhounds when they hunted.
