Irish Extra January 2021
2020 is gone! Happy New Year. I do not think many of us, least of all the country sports community will be sad to see the end of a frustrating year to say the least. It seemed shooting sports in particular were on and off like a light switch and there were at times certainly shooters particularly in Ireland were left totally and utterly frustrated by what seemed completely nonsensical rules regarding pheasant shooting, but thankfully we were left with some time to get and enjoy things and during the holiday period of Christmas that’s exactly what I did.
For many years I was quite the Boxing day shooter, always looking forward to the big day when we would all arrive at the shoot, some a little worse for wear than others and look forward to a day of pheasants and whatever else would end up in the bag. These days however I do not rush for the Boxing day festivities and instead look forward to a few quiet days in between Christmas and the New Year with a ferret and a .410 or the Teckels for a bit of cover bashing.
For many others too, the Boxing Day tradition varies from Pike Fishing to ferreting and I read somewhere a few years ago of a trencher Bobbery pack (A mixed pack of dogs / Hounds that formed of various owners) that met each Boxing day and started the day with a drink before bolting a rabbit for the pack and then having another drink while the Hounds were in pursuit, another when they lost the rabbit and another when they bolted another one. By the time half a dozen rabbits where bolted nobody could get out of the ditch and it ended up quite a drunken affair!
Boxing Day would be a term used on my home turf while St Stephens day would be wider used further South in Ireland while Wren Day or sometimes Wren Hunting Day or even “Ran Day” or in Irish Lá an Dreoilín is a term used for the old traditional pageantry of Wren day. It is really a theatrical tradition nowadays which has its origins back to the hunting and capture of a Wren. Nowadays a mock Wren is placed on a pole and paraded through towns and villages by participants called mummers or strawboys who dress up in straw masks, headwear and colourful clothing. In days gone by the Wren was actually hunted and the captured Wren was tied to the leaders staff and paraded just as the mock Wren is today. It was traditional for Wren boys to collect money during their parade and give patrons a feather from the bird for good luck, the money being used to run a Wren Ball which when collected nowadays is given to charity. The tradition is carried out in some parts of the UK including Wales and the Isle of Man but is believed to originated from the Celts.
Irish Packs in Good Spirit and hunting remains strong
Speaking with members and followers of various Irish Packs both mounted and foot, it appears by all accounts that Hunting in Ireland remains strong with a dedicated following and strong support. The 2020 half of the season of which the Boxing Day meet is the pinnacle saw many followers and supporters reflect on a great year and look forward to 2020 which can only get better. My good friend and Huntsman has reported a great season and by the time the Boxing Day meet rolled around the Beagles were in fine fettle and going very well indeed and a great boxing day was had by hounds and followers alike. My old friend rogue once again travelled to a meet with the Macroom Foxhounds and spent a day with the North Tipperary on the way home; this however took 4 days, and no doubt encompassed many stops en route.
Looking forward to a 2021 Return
As difficult as 2020 was for everyone, not least the country sports community, I feel 2021 will be an opportunity for us all to come back stronger and better in the New Year. We have all learned many lessons and had much time to reflect over the last year and many of have saw just how important & close knit our community is and how we rely on one another in many various ways whether it be following the hounds, shooting as part of a syndicate or group or just a solitary Lurcher man. 2020 reminded us how important all those little things we take for granted are and it is not until we can’t do what we normally do that we realize so, “You don’t know what you have got till its gone” being a phrase that strikes particularly well this year. For me it was a reminder that not only should we appreciate what we have but we should stand up and be proud of it and fight for it wherever and whenever we have to. The current debate and noise about greyhound racing is just one example that may not affect you or me, but it is quite simply the “Thin end of the wedge” do not be fooled for a second.
This year our online communities were particularly important for people being able to stay in touch. With the reduction in people being able to meet, the cancellation of Game Fairs & events left online communities the only place for some people to keep in touch. One only has make a few clicks these days to get in touch with like minded country sports enthusiasts. There are quite literally hundreds of forums, groups & pages dedicated to country sports and looked after by passionate individuals where it is possible to discuss, share ideas and of course disagree on country sports! Love them or hate them, they did become a life line in 2020 for people to stay in touch as did, The Countrymans Weekly dropping through the letter box each week and we must be thankful to have it again as part of our community, I always say anything that supports us should be supported.
May 2021 be everything we all hope it is
Until Next Time, Good Hunting