62 MEMOIR OF THE KILKENNY HUNT. 



smilingly replied that, as he was aware that Sir John 

 Power's "important business" would be the means 

 of affording pleasure to many persons, he would 

 accede to his request, the business being nearly com- 

 pleted. 



Shortly after the death of his father, Sir John 

 Power returned to Kilfane, and having fitted up 

 kennels at the stables built by his uncle, Richard 

 Power, adjoining the road above the church, moved 

 the hounds from the Sion kennels. 



As his diaries of sport have, with one excep- 

 tion, been lost, it is difficult to give account of any 

 of his runs. A few, however, are here recorded. It 

 may be mentioned that, towards the close of his 

 mastership, Sir John, wishing not to be too much 

 tied to home by having to hunt the pack himself at 

 all times, had tried Mick Butler as huntsman. The 

 arrangement not proving satisfactory, Mick Butler 

 left, and went to Curraghmore about 1847. Subse- 

 quently he went to Ballydarton, to Mr. Watson, 

 where he remained some years. He died there from 

 the effects of a fall, and while lying in bed he, shortly 

 before his death, had his cap and whip hung where 

 he could see them on the wall. He was very fond of 

 hounds, a neat, smart man, and, it is needless to say, 

 that from the training he had had, knew his business 

 well. Stephen Goodall was promoted from second 

 whip to fill his place in the Kilfane kennels, and 

 remained with Sir John till he resigned the master- 

 ship in 1850, when he went to Kildarc, where he 

 afterwards made a great reputation as huntsman. 

 James Wilson was whip under him at Kilfane, and 

 James Dwyer also. 



