HISTORY OF THE KILDARE HUNT 



Mr Robert Kennedy remembers all three 

 brothers very well and tells me that all were great 

 sportsmen, good " houndmen," and good " coun- 

 trymen," and that both brothers gave Mr John 

 La Touche great assistance during his master- 

 ship. They were all fine riders to hounds, and the 

 late Mr Robert Watson told Mr Kennedy that 

 Wm La Touche was the finest houndman he had 

 ever known, which is an interesting confirmation 

 by a great authority of the commonly received 

 opinion. Mr Kennedy also remembers hearing the 

 brothers agree that the three coverts in the Kildare 

 district of which foxes were fondest during their 

 time were Johnstown, Moore Hill and Nine Tree 

 Hill. 



No one will ever know the expense and trouble 

 which Mr William La Touche went to in his care 

 of the hounds; he was an exceedingly silent man, 

 given to few words and undemonstrative in every 

 way; but it is general knowledge that he took un- 

 heard-of pains with what was the passion of his 

 life. Mr Percy La Touche tells me that he used 

 practically only Belvoir and Brocklesby sires, and 

 made every possible inquiry as to a dog's perform- 

 ance in the field before he would use him. He 

 bought extensively at Mr G. S. Foljambe's sale in 

 1845, where he had Lord Henry Bentinck and 

 Lord Galway as opponents in the sale ring, and was 



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