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Grassroots
Countryside Alliance Ireland
Round-up of the 2014 –15
Beagling Season
Most packs report that the past season provided plenty of
hares – possibly the result of the warm & dry spring and
long summer of 2014, with good survival rates amongst
leverets. The Cavanapole Beagles report that they called a
slightly premature halt to their season this spring, having
encountered early leverets on the ground – hopefully this is a
sign of another good breeding year and is possibly the result
of a relatively mild winter. However, in contrast, there have
been reports of some localised areas being relatively short of
hares, particularly areas of open grassland with little cover,
and some huntsmen wonder if this shortage can be linked
with the ever burgeoning numbers of buzzards?
The Westmeath focused their early season meets on the
bog-lands of their country, where there is less likelihood of
disrupting dairy herds enjoying the last of the summer grass.
This was particularly necessary in autumn 2014, with its
extended grazing season. For the same reason other packs
started their season on stubble & plough, in forestry or on
uplands. The Sunnyland Beagles went as usual to the bog-
lands of North Galway, meeting up there with the Pallaskenry
from County Limerick. It was a momentous and daunting
time for the Sunnyland, following the death in summer 2014
of John Shaw Brown, their huntsman for 35 seasons and also
a very hands-on kennelman for the majority of that time.
Joint Master David Rodgers has taken over as huntsman, with
Lee Beverland as kennel-huntsman, and a willing team of
whippers-in providing vital assistance in all aspects. The pack
has had a good season with great support from members &
visitors and a most cheering welcome from their landowners.
Towards the end of the season, two joint meets between the
Armagh & Richhill Beagles and the Sunnyland brought some
really noteworthy hunting. At the second of these meets a
new young lady whipper-in wore the Sunnyland uniform
for the first time. The Maryboro / Midleton Beagles and the
Riverstown also enjoyed joint hunting in County Cork. Such
shared meets always provide a good opportunity to judge
the relative merits of others’ hounds for potential breeding
purposes, as well as welcome social interaction amongst the
huntsmen and hunt followers.
The Woodrock & Blackwater Valley beagles held their annual
Beagling Festival in February, with terrific support from the
visiting English hunts bringing a welcome boost to the local
economy. Under an initiative from the IMBA committee,
the huntsman & one of the young whippers-in from the
Goldburn Beagles were welcomed as observers, to learn much
of hunting practice and kennel-management from the more
experienced visiting hunt staff and the host pack. Just after
the end of the season two young stalwarts of the Woodrock
celebrated their marriage –very best wishes from all Irish
beaglers go to Marie & John as they set out on their shared
life together.
The Armagh & Richhill report their best season’s hunting
for many years, with good numbers of hares and the pack
hunting particularly strongly. The club ended their season
with a very successful dinner dance which attracted members
from their own hunt and many of their neighbouring hunt
clubs, both beagles and mounted packs.
Under the enthusiastic guidance of Joint Master Aileen
Byrne, the Goldburn Beagles are happily enjoying renewed
levels of support from regular and occasional followers, with
particularly encouraging numbers of enthusiastic youngsters.
This hunt is currently working on construction of new
kennels, which should soon be ready for occupation. The
surroundings of the old kennels had become increasingly
urbanised & difficult for pack management.
Two observations from the master / huntsman of the
Westmeath Beagles highlight some aspects of the simple
but deeply profound enjoyment that our sport can provide:
He noted the huge satisfaction when a fourth season bitch
hound finally decided to enter. She is a great character and
of sound breeding, but very slow to learn her trade. The
huntsman, alone amongst his pack’s followers, kept the faith
and was eventually rewarded with great delight when she
transformed from a “hound at heel” to a hound with a great
work ethic during this past season. He also reflected on the
absolute joy of following our ancient sport over some of the
most significant sites of Celtic history and the special sense of
timeless tradition enjoyed when out with his hounds at such
special locations.
So we look back on a fruitful season in which many younger
followers have stepped forward to increase their knowledge of
beagling and to take increasing responsibility for the hounds
under their care, thereby fostering a positive future for our
ancient sport. In closing we acknowledge our gratitude to
the many hundreds of farmers and landowners who have
welcomed beagle packs over their land during the past season
and send an enormous “thank you” from all the hunts. With-
out your support we would have no sport, and we appreciate
greatly your continued tolerance of our hounds and followers.
-E M Brown
,
Sunnyland Beagles