HISTORY OF THE KILDARE HUNT 



ing to the Earl of Huntingdon, who has most 

 kindly allowed me to reproduce them. But he 

 hunted regularly with the Kildares for many years, 

 and one story of him survives. He got safely over a 

 very formidable fence, at which the huntsman 

 hesitated. The man called out, " What's on that 

 side, my lord? " " I am," said Lord Rossmore. 



Mr T. H. Royce, elected in 1815, was the father 

 of the late Mr John Royce. The fine estate of this 

 family in Co. Limerick was sold after the disastrous 

 year of the famine. Mr Peter Purcell of Halvers- 

 town was perhaps, next to Daniel O'Connell, one 

 of the best-known men in Ireland. He was a stage 

 coach proprietor on a large scale. There is a verse, 

 not without a tincture of Irish humour, which 

 describes some of the towns of that era as they 

 appeared to the traveller by coach. 



Longford is a dirty hole; 

 On Boyle I lave me curse; 

 Athlone is the divil's place. 

 And MuUingar is worse. 

 One and all it makes no odds 

 They're all so very bad. 

 But, d — n me if I ever see 

 The likes of Kinnegad. 



Mr Purcell was also a great agriculturist and the 

 founder of the Agricultural Society of Ireland. He 

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