SIR FENTON AYLMER AND MR A. HENRY 



Bridge was built solely by Mrs Wodehouse's 

 influence with the Kildare Grand Jury." 



Mr Frederick Ponsonby (who was the fifth and 

 youngest son of Mr Wm Brabazon Ponsonby, 

 afterwards first Baron Ponsonby, whose hunting 

 establishment at Bishopscourt Sir Philip Hoare de- 

 scribed so fully for us in the last chapter) was a 

 great supporter of hunting. 



" He contested Kildare," continues Mr Robert 

 Kennedy, " but was beaten by a so-called adven- 

 turer. He was beloved by all, and upon his death in 

 1849 his funeral was met by the people of Rathcole, 

 the cofhn taken from the hearse and carried to 

 Oughterard Hill, where he was buried. The bridge 

 over the canal at Baronsrath is known as Ponsonby 

 Bridge, for that name is engraved on a granite slab 

 on each side. In a cottage close by is to be seen on 

 the dresser half of a very handsome dish. It is kept 

 there to this day in honour and in memory of him 

 they called the Old Master. I agree with the old 

 peasant when he said, ' God be with the old 

 times.' " 



It is a matter of great satisfaction to all Kildare 

 sportsmen that that honoured name of Ponsonby 

 is again identified with the Hunt in the person of the 

 present master, Captain Talbot Ponsonby. 



As will have been gathered from the preceding 



61 



