MR WILLIAM KENNEDY, 1847-1854 



annals of the Kildare Hunt from the fact that the 

 late Baron de Robeck, then Major de Robeck, in that 

 season first entered upon that career of sport with 

 the hounds which ended practically only with his 

 death in 1904. Like so many of the Kildare sports- 

 men, he had the admirable habit of keeping a very 

 full diary. This has been most kindly placed at my 

 disposal by his son the present Baron de Robeck, 

 and I find it a most valuable commentary on the 

 sport shown by many successive Masters of Kil- 

 dare hounds. It is particularly welcome at this 

 point of my undertaking because it takes up the 

 story where Mr W. Kennedy gets less communica- 

 tive. 



Here is the first entry. " Thursday, Novr. 17th. 

 1853. The first day's hunting this season; my head- 

 quarters Lyons. The meet was Blessington, a very 

 sharp white frost, could not begin work till 12. A 

 large field. Drew Three Castles, soon found and 

 went away, but bad scent; a slow pottering run to 

 Kilbride, there lost. Drew Downshire, found and 

 away like fun to Elverstown about 18 minutes; a 

 short check in the cover, ran to Baltiboys there lost. 

 About 25 minutes." 



Major de Robeck's notes generally confirm Mr 

 Kennedy's diary and record little but middling 

 sport during the month. Most of the runs slow and 



201 



