All-Ireland Drag Hunt set for Kill
Drag hunt enthusiasts and their tracker dogs are preparing for the highly anticipated All-Ireland Drag Hunt is set for Cavan this weekend.
Taking place across September 9 and 10 in Kill, the event will see competitors from across the country compete in three different competitions.
Speaking about the upcoming event, Chairman Raymond O’Reilly said: “The Irish Northern Drag Hunt Association are honoured this year to be awarded the opportunity of hosting the 2023 All-Ireland Drag Hunt heats.
“It’s a great day and a great way of meeting people from all over. There may even be people there from England as well. We can all get together and compete and renew old friendships.
“This drag hunting event has a large following from all over Ireland and hopefully should be a great boost to Cootehill and surrounding areas.”
Raymond explains the competition is run on a rotational basis, so the club was delighted to host the competition this year.
“Over the last number of weeks, the committee has worked hard to make it special. A word of thanks to all the farmers for the use of their land on these days.”
He continued: “Drag hunting is a very old tradition in Ireland and remains a very popular sport in many parts of Ireland and parts of England."
Raymond further explained: “The sports consists of four to five men laying a scent of aniseed oil on a cloth across country of up to eight miles in distance.”
Dogs make up a big part of the competition as they are divided into the five heats and race across country following the scent.
Raymond believes approximately 20 dogs will be competing in each heat.
“The first six hounds home in each race then qualify for the prestigious James Mooney All-Ireland Perpetual cup.”
Two other cups are up for grabs on the day including The Phil Smith Memorial Cup, which will be given to the winner of the Puppy Championship and the Maiden Championship offers the Jim Cohen Memorial Cup for first place.
The Cavan based chairman is inviting spectators to come and show support.
The charge on the gate to the event on the day is by way of voluntary subscription. All money collected will go to MS Cavan.