Irish Extra January 2022
I had much sport over the Christmas period, a period when I took a longer than usual holiday just simply to get more squeezed in. I would happily forego any summer holiday for a winter and in particular a Christmas one, it really is for me to quote the song “the most wonderful time of the year”.
Boxing day as always for me was spent alone and I loaded up the Teckels and a shot gun and spent the day raking in a large area I have permission. The Teckels hunted a few lines here and there and flushed a couple of foxes which I could have shot but I gave them best and let the Teckels hunt on which they did for quite a distance until I caught up with them and they appeared to have lost him! The highlight of the day for me was folding a brace of Mallard, one that landed too far out on the water for me to reach myself and my young Teckel Poppy made a fine retrieve by swimming out and bringing the bird back onto the bank, Poppy has become very much the gun dog now and last year in particular really excelled. I had 4 Teckels with me, something that would have become illegal should the Bill from the Northern Ireland Alliance Parties “John Blair” have passed, but thankfully it didn’t. I don’t really want to give Blair, his party, or the subject too much ink but we did breathe a sigh of relief when the majority of our political leaders saw sense and voted down a most draconian bill brought forward by a completely misled politician. It was a reminder to us and to the politicians of Northern Ireland that WE have the power, the country sports community pulled together more than ever before and together we have the power, we can take the seats from under any party wishing to attack country sports and this has been proven once again. We are the custodians of the country side, nobody else.
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.
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 2021 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 2022 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 North Tipperary pubs en-route.
Looking forward to a 2022 Return
2021 was not the total return to normal for everyone, not least the country sports community, I feel 2022 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. 2021 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.
Thank you all again for another year and thanks one again to Tracey and the CMW team for always printing my scribbles, it is a great privilege to write for a magazine which protects, promotes and defends our sport.
Until next time – Appreciate, enjoy and support country sports to the best of your ability.