The thrill of the chase takes Kellistown from
point-to-point
LITTLE did Cornelius O’Callaghan and Edmund Blake think
that, not alone would they be responsible for coining new words in the
English language but that they would forever be remembered with
nostalgia and pride for the uncanny and fortuitous way in which they
would revolutionize and forever change the face of horse racing in
Ireland, and indeed much further afield.
In 1752 the two County Cork horsemen, to settle a bet
raced each other from point-to- point, over ditches, walls and fences
from St. Johns’ Church in Buttevant to the distant steeple of St. Marys
Church in Doneraile. With this simple challenge the words ‘steeplechase’
and ‘point-to-point’ became common currency in the English language and
wherever national hunt horse racing was discussed.
I doubt very much if O’Callaghan and his fox hunting
colleague Blake realised that not alone would they enter racing folklore
but that their exploits would eventually make an impact over one hundred
and thirty miles away in the remote, rural County Carlow towns-land of
Kellistown. It is from this unlikely backdrop that historic and indeed
panoramic Kellistown Steeple is re-visited to fondly recall Kellistown
races, or more correctly Carlow Hunt Sportsman's’ Races.
Kellistown, originally known as and called Kellystown
and thus described in Ryan’s History of County Carlow, a reference no
doubt to the popularity and proliferation of the name Kelly in the area.
The very mention of the word Kellistown conjures up misty images of age
old battles, chanting monks, doleful druids and prayerful pastors not to
mention the recurring sound and relentless gallop of horse and horseman.
Images of wizen and waif like jockeys, of bulging bookmakers and milling
masses, gleeful school children, conmen, magicians and conjurers and the
elusive three card trick man challenging the naïve to ‘find the lady’
only give some dimmed and distant long lost perception of the
entertainment and gaiety, the thrills and spills that the races at
Kellistown Steeple brought to so many generations of racegoers.
Historically horse racing in Ireland, similar to
shooting and hunting was primarily the preserve of the landed classes
i.e. the landlords and gentry and it was from their ranks that the
organisers and stewards and hunt master emerged. Monuments to this
imperial dominance remain to this day with such races as the The Derby
(Lord Derby) The Oaks (Lord Oaksey) and St. Leger (Charles St. Leger) to
name but a few that still carry the name of their aristocratic mentors.
A case in point being that Lord Kildare rode many horses at Kellistown
in the late 1930’s. It was little wonder that the sport was often and
indeed still is referred to as ‘the sport of kings’. Similarly
Kellistown had that imperial influence. The lands there were owned and
controlled by the absent landlord Robert Doyne while the principal
stewards were Mrs. Olive Hall M.F.H. and Mr. O.H. Eustace Duckett M.F.H.
Many people may be unaware of the fact that prior to
Kellistown the races were held at Graiguenaspideog. The races were
staged here for one year only i.e. on 7 April, 1920 when there were four
races on the card. The field for the Carlow Hunt Cup on that day
finished in the following order: (Jockey in brackets)
- (i) Mr. J. Alexander’s Destiny b.m. (owner)
- (ii) Mr. O. Slocock’s Kilcreene ch. c (owner)
- Major D. McDonald’s Rachel b.m. (owner)
- Also ran:
- Capt. H.A. Bruen’s Breadcrumbs (Capt. J. Collins),
- Mr. B. Slocock’s Jazz (Mr. S. Slocock)
- Mr. O.H. Eustace Duckett’s Fiery Brown (Owner) fell.
- (Won by a distance, all carried 12st 7lbs).
The appropriately named Destiny went on to further glory
of which we will hear more later, while the inappropriately named fourth
horse Breadcrumbs was owned by one of the biggest and most influential
landlords of his day, Henry Bruen from Oak Park, Carlow. For the record
the remaining three winners at Graiguenaspideog were: Ladies Race -
Peggy; Open Race: Nichodemus, Farmers Race: Lucky Tim.
The course at Graiguenaspideog was deemed unsuitable for
whatever reason and in the following year 1921 the races began what was
to be a very successful association with Kellistown and this association
was to remain intact for a further 34 years during which time the races
were annually staged with four exceptions. In 1923 and 1924 the meeting
was called off due to the unstable nature of the volatile Irish
political scene. Another exception being in 1941 when the foot and mouth
epidemic caused the races to be abandoned. Again in 1954 the meeting had
to be abandoned due to too much ploughed land on the course.
Mrs. Olive Hall, who was now resident at Kellistown
Cottage having moved there on the death of her husband Capt. W. Hall
from Ballitore, Co. Kildare, was the main mover and instigator of the
races being staged at Kellistown. She was in her own right a famed
horsewoman, who perfected the side saddle riding technique, she was also
master of the hounds and it was at her kennels in Moyle that the hounds
were kept. (She deserves her own article). The course at Kellistown was
left handed run over two circuits of undulating terrain with twenty bush
and bank fences to be jumped. The start and finish posts were quite
close together and were positioned just below the steeple.
The house nearest the course/steeple i.e. Ayres’ was
usually vacated by the family for the day and was used as the jockey’s
changing room and also the weigh-room. Race cards were also sold from
the home. At close of racing the day’s takings was also counted there. A
large tent was erected for the day and among other things contained the
public bar which was run by Smyth’s of Newtown. Jarveys ferried out
hoards of race goers from both Carlow and Tullow rail stations. All
schools in the area were closed for the day thus ensuring a truly
festive spirit to the entire occasion. The social importance of the
races at Kellistown cannot be under estimated with so few comparable
events or occasions to have a good day out, which of course was due in
no small way to the scarcity of funds etc. etc
Source: The
Nationalist Archives Sunday, January 04, 2004 :
[
Kellistown
] [
Tenants
of Kellistown Farm ]
[
Kellistown Parish
Church ]
[
Carlow Hunt
]
Please
report any images or links which are not working to
mjbrennan30@gmail.com
