SIR JOHN KENNEDY, 1814-1841 



expenditure on fencing and upkeep until the 

 growth was high enough to hold foxes. Such de- 

 liberations often provided the opportunity for 

 some generous member " to take the expense of it 

 on himself." Under Mr Kennedy's management, 

 his personal popularity undoubtedly led to a very 

 gratifying extension of that praiseworthy custom 

 among members. Baron de Robeck has very kindly 

 furnished me with some interesting extracts from 

 a diary of his grandfather, John Michael Fock, 

 Baron de Robeck, who married a Miss Lawless, 

 daughter of the second Lord Cloncurry, and who, 

 though living in Dublin, hunted regularly with the 

 Kildare during the earlier years of Mr Kennedy's 

 Mastership. An entry of October 14, 1820, relates 

 to the old fox covert at Killashee, which we may 

 watch in the making, as it were, in this old diary. 

 *' Got on horseback at half past eleven with Ken- 

 nedy," writes the Baron, " rode to Palmerstown 

 and Morristown to see Mr Mansfield; returned 

 through Naas to the fox covert at Killashee which 

 we inspected." There is a tradition, too, that Mr 

 Cramer Roberts lost his hat in a sudden burst and 

 impulsively offered to make a fox covert on the 

 spot where it should be found, which may, or may 

 not, account for the origin of the covert at Hatfield, 

 near Dunlavin. The Hunt is likewise indebted to 

 two generations of McDonnels for similar gifts. In 



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