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IRISH HOUNDS,

AND THE MEN WHO

RIDE TO THEM.

BY VENATOR.

66

NO. 11. THE KILKENNY'S.

Having in a former number given a few particulars connected with the Dhuhallow's, I shall now proceed to write a brief account of the Kilkenny's, decidedly the "great gun" of all the Irish clubs, whether men, hounds, or horses be taken into consideration; and I think I may, with safety, go a step further, and state that they are unsurpassed by any in England, with the exception of the Quorn and one or two of the other Melton packs. There never was a country possessed of greater advantages for bringing to perfection the noble science of venery" than Ireland, which, I am happy to say, are made available, however neglected other ones for the general improvement of the nation may have been. In the first place, managers are free from all horse, dog, and servant taxes, which form no inconsiderable item in the expenditure of such establishments on this side of the water; and in the next, an excellent description of hunter is procurable at prices far below his intrinsic value, being of the same stamp as those which, when imported into England, fetch such high prices, for their superior stoutness and powers of jumping. Then, food for the hounds, and all other kennel expenses, are proportionably low; but its greatest auxiliary is that innate love of sport which exists in the breast of the Irish peasant, and which leads him to look upon the destruction of a fox in any but the legitimate way, in the light of a felony without benefit of clergy; and he will suffer his hen-roost to be nightly thinned, without executing summary vengeance on the marauder, although remuneration is far from being certain, and seldom adequate. By a very natural consequence from this feeling, arises a regard for those who participate in it, and I have often heard the unpopularity of a violent partisan glossed over with an "Och, never mind him, sure he's a rale sportsman." Alas, my poor countrymen, yours are kindly natures and warm hearts, and heavy be the punishment of those who pervert your very virtues into vices, and turn the honey of your dispositions into gall and bitterness.

From what I have already said, it is hardly necessary to state that the Kilkenny Hunt Club has given the "pas" to all their Hibernian rivals, and has established for itself a venetorial supremacy, which I have seldom, if ever, heard questioned. It is composed of the elite of its own and neighbouring counties, and is remarkable for its exclusiveness and consequent respectability, so that to obtain admission it is not only necessary that the claimant should be "thorough bred," but should, moreover, be altogether sans reproche. This club was formed in or about the beginning of the present century, by the late Sir John Power, Bart., of Kilfane, who has just departed to "that"

wise now.

bourne whence no traveller returns," universally lamented and regretted. For a long period he hunted them with the most perfect success, until the pressure of years compelled him to resign them to his son, the present baronet, and, in truth, they lost nothing by the transfer. This gentleman possesses every qualification necessary for the discharge of such an office; for to a daring horsemanship in the field, he adds a consummate judgment in the kennel, which latter department is brought as near to perfection as possible, and contains every essential for the health and comfort of the hounds which has been suggested by the best writers on the subject, or, better than all, what experience has taught. I would recommend all persons who take an interest in matters of this sort, and who may be sojourning in the city famed for having "water without mud, fire without smoke, and streets paved with marble," to visit it, as, through the courtesy of the owner, strangers of respectability are never refused admittance -at least so it used to be, and I have no reason to suppose it otherIt is beautifully situated on the Waterford side of the river Suir, a mile from the town, and contains about sixty couples of magnificent hounds of the very purest blood, which is the number they find requisite for a three-day pack. The county over which they hunt is admirably adapted for sporting, and is, for the most part, composed of a rich loamy soil, which must be very retentive of the scent, the only objection being the closeness and size of the fences, which would be significantly pronounced "doubly hazardous" by any of the life offices. Were I the chairman of one of them, I would be very cautious in assuring a Kilkenny sportsman's life. In the absence of all other trade, this club must be a source of considerable revenue to the citizens; as, during the season, it fills the town with strangers, from sundry and divers parts; the money expended by whom, on themselves, servants, and horses, must be large. One of the chief reasons for the superiority in hunting which they evince over several of their compeers, appears to me to consist in the fact, that the huntsman and whips are admirably mounted; a point too much overlooked elsewhere, since the hounds are not then meddled with by hard riding though ignorant people.

Having touched thus lightly on the preliminary matters about the hounds, I will now turn to the nobler part of the creation, and, by an easy transition, pass from quadrupeds to bipeds. It was a bitter cold evening, shortly before Christmas, about two years ago, as I descended from Bianconi's car at the door of Walsh's Hotel, in Kilkenny, and was received, with a heartiness that soon banished the chill, by a friend, on a visit to whom I had come for a few days' hunting. I accompanied him into the coffee room, and while I was luxuriating with my back to the fire, and my coat tails as far asunder as possible, he informed me that a party of the members were to dine together that evening, and he had obtained permission to make me one of the party. This pleasant news was the precursor of a proportionately pleasant evening, and the only fault that the most captious could find was that the claret was too good. The Marquis-need I say what marquis?—was there, and took especial care that the fun should not slacken; and when I got to bed, I shall only state that I was not in exactly proper trim to ride a run-away horse. Owing to

this little circumstance, it was somewhat later than usual when we started for the meet next morning, and had the mortification to find, on arriving there, that a sporting fox had been found but a few minutes before, and had gone off in dashing style. After venting our indignation in a couple of hearty anathemas, we remembered the apothegm, which says that there is "no help for spilled milk," and mounting our horses we set off, at round pace enough, through a series of by-roads and lanes, piloted by my friend, who knew the country as well as a poacher, in hopes of coming up during some check. However, we were doomed to disappointment, and after half an hour's hard riding, upon arriving at the crest of a little hill, beheld a most animating, but at the same time a most aggravating sight below us. The hounds had just killed their fox, and were baying at him, as he was held far beyond their reach by the huntsman, who made the welkin ring again with his deep and sonorous death halloo. Those who had been in at the death were leisurely walking their horses up and down to let them recover their wind, and were discussing the merits of the hunt. The "tailers" are dropping in one by one, each with some plausible excuse for not being up sooner, and all in the end resolving themselves into the simple one of inability. "Come," cried my friend, "let us join them, and hear the particulars; the run must have been excellent-seven miles, I'm sure, is under the mark. See, here comes Johny Power of Gurteen, and old Valentine, he will tell us all about it." Leaving him to prosecute his enquiries, I shall employ myself in drawing a rough sketch of that noted sportsman and his horse; for to separate them, in my mind, would be just as absurd as to do the same by the component parts

of the centaur.

Mr. Power is somewhat above the middle height, fair and athletic, and, were we not afraid of making him vain, would say handsome. He is, as I am informed, lineally descended from that Robert Poer who was entrusted with the command of Waterford by Henry III., in 1172, so as to counteract the suspected ambitious views of Richard Strongbow. Of that, and the adjoining counties, he obtained an elder son's portion, and which is, to this day, enjoyed by the Marquis of Waterford, and various others of the Power family. Our present subject is perhaps one of the most daring horsemen that ever entered a field, rather over much so, for he appears to deem no fence impracticable, until he has proved it to be such; but, since he spares no expense in procuring the very best horses possible, his confidence is not often misplaced. I will illustrate his hardihood by one instance, which I have from an eye witness:-He was riding home one evening, in company with some other gentlemen, when one of them remarked, that an iron gate with spikes on the top, which they were just passing, would prove rather inconvenient in a hunt. "Not at all," said he; "I will bet anything that I ride Valentine, this moment, in and out in cold blood." A wager was accordingly made; he turned the horse short at it, and the noble animal carried him over it in safety in little better than a stand, and then back again. Upon measurement it was found to exceed five feet in height. This is the same horse that he rode for the Grand National at Liverpool, a few

years back, running a close third to Jerry. I have heard that Mr. Power had laid a large sum that he would be the first over the stone wall, in the run home; which he won, the horse taking it in a stroke, although two of the nags following him were killed, and, if I mistake not, one of the riders. Whether from that

out, the old horse wanted pace or his owner did not press him, thinking he had it safe enough, I know not; but, at all events, he was caught and beaten by both Jerry and Arthur. At the time he ran that race, I can confidently assert that he must have been sixteen years of age, and had done more public work, as a steeple-chaser in Ireland, than any other horse either before or since. Not long afterwards he came out again in Ireland for the Grand National at Mallow, and then and there beat a field of eight young ones with the most perfect ease; thus demonstrating what kind of one he must have been in his youthful days, and how superior a class of horses was in that country some ten or twelve years ago to what there is at present, when some to beat even him were to be had. The Marquis of Waterford's Monarch invariably beat him. It is a curious fact, that he never would run kindly with this last-named horse, against whom he entertained the greatest hatred, which used to bring all Ugly Muck's (alias M'Donough, senior) powers of persuasion into full play, in order to induce him to get along. Whilst writing this, I have been informed that Valentine is dead, and feel certain that he has not left his equal behind him.

And now I dismiss him and his owner for the present, in order to take a look at the well-known Marquis and his equally well-known Blueskin. This is the horse which won three days in succession at the Eglinton Park steeple-chase meeting, beating fresh fields each time, and jockeyed, too, by his noble owner. Whoever sees him will

involuntarily exclaim that "He's a rum-'un to look at, but a good'un to go!" for no one would augur his abilities from his outward looks, being, in that respect, like some of our great public characters.

He was more fortunate in England than in Ireland; for, although he went the round of the country meetings, he succeeded in winning but very few prizes. He is his lordship's favourite hunter, and carries him to perfection, albeit he is not overmuch an admirer of the locomotive system; but the Marquis is a man "not to be denied." Since the establishment of his own pack, he does not hunt so frequently as he did formerly with the Kilkenny's, by whom his cheering "halloo" is deeply missed and regretted. It would be a waste of time and paper to enter into any description of his personal appearance, as I feel perfectly confident that that is as well known as the Monument, but will give the last of his Myttonian exploits before he submitted to the silken bonds of Hymen, and became an humble Benedict. His lordship and Mr. Power were sitting one night together rather late, discussing their wine, when the former, from out of the midst of a brown study, proposed that they should set off for Curraghmore. The proposal was accepted; and, although the night was not of such a nature as would induce the generality of people to quit comfortable quarters to undertake a journey of twenty Irish miles, they started at once in the marquis's chariot with four post-horses. They had not proceeded

very far, when they were caught in a violent snow-storm. Here that milk of human kindness, which is ever ready for skimming in the noble peer's breast, threatened to turn into curds and whey if it did not get vent; and vent it did get, by his determination to ride the leader, and send the boy for shelter into the carriage. Nor would his gallant companion be behindhand in aught, but took his seat on the wheeler, and thus did they brave the "pelting of the pitiless storm;" and after various hair-breadth escapes and unpleasant approximations to sundry "yawners," arrived with whole bones at their destination. The consequence was trifling-only a week or two in bed.

There is no effect in nature in more apparent contradiction to its cause, than the influence which the soft and humanising spirit of woman exerts over the rougher and sterner nature of man. It is the law which rules the material world, that the softer and more fragile substance should yield to the harder; but truly hath it been said, that the laws of mind and matter are widely different. So it is with woman-she appears to drop upon his flinty heart the precious out-pourings of her own benevolence, which, in fine, so pervade it as to make it capable of retaining those impressions which before could leave no trace. How happy

His

for us that it should be so! otherwise would the wild vine of our passions run riot in unrestrained luxuriance, and soon dry up the very source of its existence, unless there was some hand to give it its proper direction, to prune each offshoot that disfigured or that injured it, and make it fit to bring forth fruit in due season, to be an honour and a praise. These remarks have been drawn from me upon con sidering the total change which has been effected in the noble lord of whom we are now writing since his marriage with one of the most beautiful and amiable of women. Forgetting all the past, as it were but a dream, he enters hand in hand with her into all her schemes for ameliorating the wretchedness with which they are surrounded; and with the greatest success have their endeavours been crowned. determination to eschew bad habits is plainly evinced by the following story, if it be true, which I have heard commonly reported and believed:-A certain noble lord, with whom he had been formerly on terms of intimacy, and who was always remarkable for his success at play, arrived at Curraghmore, and was warmly welcomed. After dinner the topic of play was started, and a game of cards proposed, which received the following answer: 66 My dear if you are in want of £500, I will give you a cheque for the money; but, as to play, it is out of the question." This settled the matter. We sincerely hope that these remarks will not be taken amiss by his lordship, should they meet his eye, as they are written with the best intention by one who has ever been an admirer of the kindliness which was evident in the wildness of his adventures; nor should he feel annoyed at recurrence being made to them, for what saith the Roman poet?

"Non lusisse pudet, sed non incidere ludum."

We perceive that we are drawing nigh to the limits which we have set to ourselves for this paper, and must therefore quicken our pace, if we expect to be through our work in time. Our space prevents us from mentioning several sportsmen, good and true, who deserve

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