Hunting Roundup With Tom Fulton

Huntsman Lloyd Parr with the Louth Foxhounds at their opening meet

The County Down based Iveagh Foxhounds have appointed Limerick native Declan Mulcaire as their new huntsman.

From the village of Croagh, near the County Limerick kennels, the young Declan spent a lot of time following those hounds. During this time he fell in with that very famous huntsman Dick Chapman to whom, he says, he owes everything.

Declan also spent a lot of time hunting a foot pack before racing in point to points then working in a racing yard. He then entered hunt service whipping-in to James Lowry at the Westmeaths, for a season, then whipping-in to Peter Callan, again for a season, at the Kildares.His next move was to the Farney Harriers where he spent a season hunting these hounds prior to their amalgamation with the Oriel Harriers. He then hunted the joint pack for two seasons before moving to the Iveaghs.

Declan was quite literally born into horses and hunting and he is the grandson of Jerry Mulcaire, a noted horseman, who was stud groom at the Co Limericks during the distinguished mastership of Lord Daresbury and he has the good wishes of everyone at the Iveaghs for a very successful time with them.

At the Ballymacad Foxhounds two long standing masters have retired. Thosh Kellet and Jim Stevenson have been in office, together, since1993.

Gary O’Neill, in office since 2019, has been joined in a new mastership by Michael Farrell, Brendan Cosgrove and Michael Bevan.

At the Co Galway (the Blazers) Foxhounds New Inn native Oisin Rigney has been appointed whipper-in to turn hounds to huntsman Anthony Costello.

The Newry Harriers have appointed Teddy Matthews, a long time supporter, as sole master in succession to the late Mrs Joan Close.