MR WILLIAM KENNEDY, 1847-1854 



40 minutes from the time we found; one hour and 

 twenty-five minutes from the time the fox left Gil- 

 town. First hour and five minutes without a check. 

 Rode Merlin. I shall never see the like again." 



There was little more to record that season except 

 what Mr Kennedy describes as a " fine wild hunt- 

 ing run about the hills for i hr and 55 minutes " on 

 February 12, from a Rathcoole meet. The season 

 closed with a spell of N.E. winds which made 

 scenting bad and hunting almost impossible. To 

 the severity of these winds and their blighting 

 effect upon sport, Mr Mansfield, looking through 

 the diary many years later, adds his recollection, 

 " Ground too hard for the last three weeks, obliged 

 to give it up," is Mr Kennedy's final remark in 

 the first week of April, 1852. 



The autumn of the same year opened with a long 

 spell of the same dry weather and bad scent. 

 " Ground as hard as a bone " records the Master 

 at the beginning of October. On the 19th, however, 

 I read: 



*' Ran very prettily for 45 minutes in the moun- 

 tains to ground near Kippure, dug him out, and 

 killed him. Ran from Three Castles first to Kil- 

 bride, then Cogans; tried Punchbowl, then close 

 to Downshire, back nearly to Punchbowl and killed 

 in the open close to Three Castles one hour and 

 forty-five minutes; a fine day for the hounds." 



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