Westmeath Hunt 'celebrate year's thrills and spills'
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Hunt committee, Master Cyril O’Hara, Master Helen Moorhead, Marian Mortell, John Fagan, Trevor Badger, Jill Mangan and David Flynn.Image 2 of 23
Brian and Sheila Dunne at the Westmeath Hunt Ball in Bloomfield House Hotel on Saturday week last, February 8.Image 3 of 23
Megan Campbell and Tom Geoghegan.Image 4 of 23
Anne and David Doran.Image 5 of 23
Darren Cronin, Bríd Casey, Michael Casey and Trevor Badger.Image 6 of 23
Saoirse Cronin, Lauryn Cully and Erin Cronin.Image 7 of 23
Robert, Teresa, Leanne and Adam Campbell.Image 8 of 23
Mark and Jennifer Bourke.Image 9 of 23
Katie Murray and Megan Jerrard.Image 10 of 23
Stephen Reynolds and Yvonne Gunning.Image 11 of 23
Bronagh Bradley, and Eirn and Donna Cleary.Image 12 of 23
Peter Clarke, Anthony Hughes, Sophie Wragg and Charlie Edgley.Image 13 of 23
Niall Walsh and Sinead O'Sullivan.Image 14 of 23
Mark Ronan and Lesley Anne Roy.Image 15 of 23
Donal and Sinead O'Sullivan.Image 16 of 23
Rosemary Wentges.Image 17 of 23
Diarmuid Conway, Chloe Roche, Sinead Lowry and Niall Whelehan.Image 18 of 23
Niall Whelehan, Fionn O'Brien, Jasper Kelly, Sam Austin and Leo McCann.Image 19 of 23
Marian Mortell, Caroline Brabazon and Helen Moorhead.Image 20 of 23
Louise Fox and Rachael Power.Image 21 of 23
Jill Mangan, Rachael O'Callaghan and Hannah McCormack.Image 22 of 23
Tony Fagan, Pauric McNeill, Tom Geoghegan and Darragh Grennon.Image 23 of 23
Ben McAteer, Stephen Doyle, Annie McGinn and Killian Dunne at the Westmeath Hunt Ball in Bloomfield House Hotel on Saturday week last, February 8.The Westmeath Hunt Ball is one event that members look forward to every year, as an opportunity to get together, and to express gratitude to all those who contribute to the hunt.
Hannah McCormack, event organiser, said they “celebrate the year’s thrills and spills” and on behalf of the hunt, she offered special thanks to the landowners and farmers. Emphasising the vital role of their support, Hannah said, “without the landowners, we wouldn’t get out, we wouldn’t get to see such lovely parts of the country”.
She said the Westmeath Hunt maintain strong relationships with landowners – members value having permission to cross their land, and realise it is important to be considerate and to leave everything as they find it, to adhere to landowners’ requests and to be respectful.
Hannah said a number of people behind the scenes contribute to the Westmeath Hunt throughout the year, and to organising the annual ball.
Rachel O’Callaghan helps organise and prepare hampers for the night, and Mary Glennon, in the office, takes care of financial and administration matters throughout the year.
Hannah also had thanks for the hunt masters, huntsman Niall Dunne and the team at the kennels, the committee, and the team at Bloomfield House Hotel, where the hunt ball has taken place for several years.
“They’re always very accommodating, the food is always good, the room is always fabulous, and this year we had The Elastic Band back again – they’re great and had everybody up dancing.”