Absent friends remembered in stories and treasured memories

The early-morning grey mist over Powerstown Racecourse didn’t in any way dampen the spirits yesterday morning, opening day in Clonmel of the 87th annual National Coursing Meeting.

Old friends from all over the country – and beyond – meeting and warmly greeting at one of Ireland’s great sporting occasions. As ever, however, there were also absent friends, those who for various reasons, didn’t make it. Some have passed on, with us now in spirit only; some have reached a stage where attendance at this stamina-sapping all-day three-day outdoor event is no longer an option; some were merely out for this year only. Even as those in the sizeable attendance settled down to the day’s sport, however, all were fondly remembered.

So it was that Brendan Matthews and his clan, his kids and their kids, had a thought for their much-loved family matriarch, Anna, taken so suddenly from them during the last year. So it was that those of us who cover this event spoke fondly of veteran journalist Gerry McCarthy, he of the encyclopaedic knowledge of coursing and Clonmel but unable to tog off for this one due to illness. And so it was that we speak this morning of Tess Power.