SIR JOHN KENNEDY, 1814-1841 



found impossible to open the door, which swung 

 inwards, as the hounds were all huddled against it, 

 and it was cut through with axes. The hounds then 

 rushed out and raced into the lake, a few hundred 

 yards away. None were killed in the fire, but it was 

 found that the heat and smoke had destroyed their 

 sense of smell and the dog hounds were ruined. 

 The bitches therefore were alone kept, as useful 

 only for breeding. 



Sir John once found a litter of light-coloured 

 cubs at Dunmurrey. " Oh," said he to Mr Medli- 

 cott, " they are never of any use when they are of 

 that colour. I must kill them all. What day will be 

 convenient? " A day was fixed, and he brought his 

 hounds over on the quiet and killed the whole 

 litter in one day. 



An anecdote which that fine sportsman, Mr 

 Robert Watson, was very fond of telling and which 

 relates to the Kennedy regime is worth preserva- 

 tion. When his father, Mr John Watson, was a boy, 

 he used to hunt during the holidays with a pack 

 belonging to Sir Richard Butler of Garryhundon, 

 Co. Carlow. Young Watson was once returning to 

 school in Dublin on horseback, attended by a man- 

 servant, when he met the Kildare hounds hunting a 

 fox. They had checked, but young Watson called 

 out, " Jostler has it." Mr Kennedy rode up, look- 

 ing very impressive in his tall silk hat, which he 



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