HISTORY OF THE KILDARE HUNT 



Aurelius Symmachus, writing in 391 a.d. to his 

 brother Flavianus, then presumably in Britain, 

 thanks him for his gift of seven Irish hounds, which 

 he describes as " novel contributions to our 

 solemn shows and games " and " calculated to 

 win the favour of the Roman people for our 

 Quaestor." The Romans, it appears, were much 

 impressed by the size of the Irish hounds, which 

 they employed in the amphitheatre to fight men, 

 wild beasts, and other dogs. 



The fame of the Irish hound continued without 

 any diminution from those days until times quite 

 modern. The Irish hound was a gift highly valued 

 by the princes of all nations and the subject of tri- 

 bute between chieftains; the right of dealing in 

 Irish hounds, indeed, whether as giver or receiver, 

 seems to have been confined to men of royal birth. 

 Sixteen chieftains so qualified are mentioned by 

 name in the Book of Rights and Customs, the 

 number of hounds composing the gift or tribute 

 being specified in each case, seven hounds being 

 the usual number, and they are described in three 

 instances as " very beautiful, all white, eager and 

 quick eyed." 



The status of the chase in Ireland in those early 



times is perhaps best indicated by the fact that the 



prime chieftain or right-hand man of the king was 



usually Master of the King's hounds. Finn, son of 



2 



