Hunting News Tipperary

opening meet

Hunting News – Tipperary – http://fethard.com/mainpages/cnews.html

A very large crowd of well-wishers and supporters turned out for the opening meet of Tipperary Foxhounds in Fethard on the Bank Holiday Monday. Following the dispensing of the traditional ‘Stirrup Cup’ by Annette and her staff, Huntsman Derry Donegan, with whipper-in Sam Staniland, led off the field from McCarthy’s Orchard.

Ninety-four mounted followers were tallied leaving for Rocklow. Joined by a few late-comers on the Rocklow Road the field totalled just over one-hundred at the first draw. A beautiful day weather-wise provided a typical opening meet day hunting. Short, sharp runs provided a much needed early season pipe-opener for horses and riders. First fox from Rocklow ran down through McCarthy’s bog, crossed the Fethard / Moyglass road and to ground just behind Daly’s fuel depot.
Finding again in Rocklow they ran down again across the Moyglass road and to ground at Ballybough. Rathvin was blank. A small circle was had from Murdoch’s fort, Power’s wood but proved blank. Moving to Ardsallagh they found at the lodge. Hunting around the covert they ran towards the Coolmoyne ball alley .
From Knockgraffon, on Wednesday 28th October, foxes were none too plentiful and hard to find. First draw, at Mr Joe Owens, did hold a brace. First one, however, quickly got to ground, the second being lost after a short circle. Knockgraffon Moate, The sandpit and River Suir bank covert all proved blank as, most surprisingly, did Dr. McCarthy’s plantation. Moving on to Mr Michael Kelly’s hounds found here. After a short circle of the kale they marked to ground in a hedgerow. Here, unfortunately, as huntsman, Derry Donegan, having dismounted received a severe kick from his horse. Whipper-in, Sam Staniland, carried the horn for the rest of the day which finished with a fast twenty-five minutes from close to the New Inn by-pass motorway to beyond Rosemary Clifford’s.

Sam again carried the horn at the children’s meet at Grove. The huge turn-out of kids of all ages enjoyed the afternoons hunting around the estate. Another large field turned out at Lisronagh on Saturday. From Quinlan’s hounds ran to the Baptistgrange road, crossed briefly into Lakefield, re-crossed the road and crossed, what is known to generations of the travelling community as, the ‘green road to the old railway line’ at Rathcanty. They finished a very good day with two circles from Ballyhohan, and around Orchardstown marking to ground on both occasions. Derry, we are glad to report, is making good progress from the two broken ribs he suffered in the unfortunate mishap. He will be out of action for a few weeks. In the meantime Sam is doing an excellent job.

Horse and Hound

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/291192.html

The coalition government of the Green Party and Fianna Fail has vowed to ban stag hunting in Ireland as soon as possible. The Hunting Association of Ireland (HAI) and Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association (IMFHA) have announced that fox hunting will follow if hunt supporters don’t take a more proactive stance.

 On 9 October, the government voted on its programme for government — or mission statement for the coming years — and this included a ban on stag hunting.

 Fox hunting and coursing were not mentioned, but the Green Party’s manifesto states it would like to see a ban on both sports.

 James Phelan of the IMFHA said: “We need to be more politically active so we don’t make the mistakes which allowed hunting to be banned in England and Wales.

 ”Nowhere else on the planet will you find the Tipperary double drains, the Blazers’ stonewalls, the single banks of Waterford and the knife-edge banks of Wexford, combined with the Irish-bred horses and communities involved. 

“The combination of all three is what makes Irish hunting so famous. Rural Ireland is standing up in their thousands to defend these traditions.”

 The Ward Union is Ireland’s only carted stag hunt and, under the terms of the programme for government, would cease to exist.

Ward Union hunt secretary Ronan Griffiths told H&H: “The decision to ban stag hunting has come as a real surprise. Evironment Minister John Gormley installed monitors to report on the condition of our deer and what happens when we hunt. Vets also examine the deer in the park and after hunting.

 ”Their view was that, with tweaks, we can exist in a modern era. Gormley is going against that.”

 He said the hunt would fight the ban through the courts.

 Lyall Plant, chief executive of Countryside Alliance Ireland, said: “The banning of the Ward Union is just the start. We are campaigning throughout Ireland with the HAI and IMFHA.

 ”We have contacted all the hunts, telling them to lobby their TDs [teachtaí dála, member of the Irish parliament] and councillors, and have had a positive reception, but unity is vital among all the country sports. We have got to get together and fight.”

 In 2006, Irish jockeys vowed to strike if a hunting ban was suggested in Ireland (news, 27 April 2006).

Read this news story in full in Horse & Hound (29 October, ‘09)

Letters page on the Irish Independent 17th October