CHAPTER VI 

 MR O'CONNOR HENCHY, 1846-1847 



UPON the resignation of Mr La Touche, 

 which took place in September, the ordi- 

 narily difficult problem of finding a succes- 

 sor in the Mastership was perhaps made more diffi- 

 cult by the time of the year at which the vacancy 

 had occurred. But there was a very large attendance 

 at a meeting called to consider the matter at 

 McEvoy's Hotel in Naas, and after much debate 

 had taken place without result a voice was heard in 

 the room saying simply, " I will take the hounds." 

 The voice was that of Mr O'Connor Henchy of 

 Stonebrook, at that time, I think. Liberal member 

 for County Kildare, and the Hunt was again fortu- 

 nate in finding another Kildare man as Master. 



It is hardly necessary to recall the fact that the 

 year of Mr O'Connor Henchy 's acceptance of that 

 responsible position was that of the disastrous 

 failure of the potato crop in Ireland, that time of 

 famine which brought such misery on the country 

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