Mary Barrett on getting involved with draghunting and why Donal O'Mahony Memorial is special

With the draghunting fraternity getting ready for Sunday’s Donal O’Mahony Memorial Meeting at Blarney, Castletownkenneigh-based Mary Barrett is keenly looking forward to the big day.

“My brother Peter was involved in the sport with my uncle, Jerry Murphy, and although I wasn’t training any hounds, I used to go along and watch them from time to time,” Barrett said.

When Mary’s brother Peter sadly passed away in 2011, uncle Jerry encouraged her to take up the sport on a full-time basis and he gave her a pup called Pixie to start off with. The rest is history.

“Once you get into the sport, a bug takes over and I have enjoyed every minute of it, and from the moment I got Pixie I have never looked back.”

In the last decade, Mary has handled Miss Biggs, Prince Reece, Showtime Star, and her current two hounds are Pixie’s Mexican Dream and Lewis Star.

When you are rearing a family of four [John, Reggie, Charlotte, and Lewis] it takes some dedication to keep the show on the road.

“Charlotte and Lewis love coming to the draghunts, but my eldest son John is great when I am setting off pups as he loves getting them ready to run.”

So what buzz does a mother of four get from training hounds?

“I just love the sport from breeding them, to setting them off and then witnessing them running and if they manage to win that’s the icing on the cake.”

Breeding is crucial to keep the sport going and Barrett is one of the few in the sport who enjoys it.

“I bred the champion pup last year, Not Now May, who was trained by Gary and Nicole Freyne of Clogheen, but it still made me very proud and my children just love to see the pups when they are younger.

Draghunting hounds are a beautiful animal with plenty of good nature and for me, although I love to win like all other trainers, having my hounds finishing unscathed is a top priority.”

Although Barrett wouldn’t be classed as a veteran of the sport, she does love her annual trip Blarney for the Donal O’Mahony meeting.

“Look the bottom line is that I think winning All-Ireland draghunts is probably the main one for all of us to win, and I was fortunate enough to win this year’s puppy maiden international with Lewis Lass.

“I will say there is a special feeling about the Donal O’Mahony meeting in Blarney as it’s probably the best finish in the association, and for me, having the puppy show with all the children walking the hounds in the parade ring makes it a day to savour.

HIGHEST

“The contribution of the coverage The Echo gives to this day makes it great for all the trainers and their hounds and for me this meeting is the highest profile in our calendar.”

The Shanakiel Harriers club, which Barrett is a member of, is one of the strongest in the Cork association with many leading hounds in the puppy grade.

“We work together, and we have some great people in our club and it’s nice when you go to various venues that you can have a little banter with fellow club members.”

In recent years, the number of females getting involved in the sport has risen. On Sunday, Mary will be looking to win the puppy race at Blarney with Lewis Lass, and she will travel with the Barrett clan to the Mid Cork venue hoping to enjoy the day.

“Of course, I would love to win, but in reality all the other trainers are in the same frame of mind.

Once my children enjoy the day with our pups for the show and my racing hounds get around in one piece that will do for me.”

Barrett has made a huge contribution to the sport of draghunting since joining the ranks and long my she enjoy the sport that has become very much part of her life.