Hunt Ball is highlight of Westmeath Foxhounds calendar
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Sally Moorhead, Geoffrey Frawley, Jack Rogers and Davina Gray.Image 2 of 11
Donna and Erin Cleary.Image 3 of 11
Therese Farrell, Trina Fox, Ciara Allen, Lauren Finan, Erin Mulvihill and Aine Broderick.Image 4 of 11
Lisa Reilly, Laura Bohan and Jen Purcell.Image 5 of 11
Rebecca Murray, Rebecca King, Tom and Martina Dempsey and Darragh Lambe.Image 6 of 11
Sarah Troute, Jill Reville, Eimear Keogh, Aran Lupton and Niamh Martin.Image 7 of 11
Aoife Gaffney and Eamon Kenny at the Hunt Ball in Bloomfield House Hotel.Image 8 of 11
John Green, James Lowry and Mark Riggs at the Westmeath Foxhounds’ annual Hunt Ball in Bloomfield House Hotel on Saturday February 10.Image 9 of 11
Kieran and Nicola O’Malley, Ella Anna Zumerchik, Mary Tunney, John Zumerchik, and Mark and Rachel Potterton.Image 10 of 11
Sinéad Lowry, Jill Mangan, Kitty Dunne, Winnie Shanahan and Hannah McCormack.Image 11 of 11
Anna Geoghegan and Saoirse and Darren Cronin.The social highlight of the Westmeath Foxhounds calendar, the annual Hunt Ball, was held in Bloomfield House Hotel, Mullingar, on Saturday February 10. About 130 attended and, in the words of one of those present, “a great night was had by all”.
Bloomfield House has been the venue for the hunt ball for many years and Cyril O’Hara, one of the Masters of the Foxhounds, on behalf of the Masters and the organising committee, thanked the hotel management and staff for the delicious food and excellent service provided.
He also thanked Hannah McCormack from Turin, the main organiser of the event, and presented her with a bouquet of flowers in appreciation of her efforts. He thanked the Weightless Astronauts, who provided a varied selection of superb music to which the guests danced the night away.
Mr O’Hara thanked in particular the farmers and landowners who permit them to hunt over their lands during the hunting season.
The Westmeath Foxhounds was founded in 1697 and the horses and hounds have been kept at the Knockdrin kennels for the last 170 years.
According to records available, the first hunt ball was held in Ballinlough Castle in 1861. Since then it has moved to several venues, but Bloomfield House Hotel has been home to the ball for many years.