HISTORY OF THE KILDARE HUNT 



" pottering," to use the major's own expression, 

 and everything indicative of bad scenting weather. 



" There was a slow dodging 25 minutes from Mill- 

 towns covert ending in a kill at Lady Castle " on 

 the 22nd, and " a slow pottering run of about one 

 hour to Mullacash from Dunstown " on the 24th. 

 The month ended better, however. On the 29th 

 they " drew Rathcoffey, found and had a sharp 18 

 minutes to Donadea to ground. Drew Donadea, 

 found, skirted Rathcoffey into Laragh Covert. Here 

 a fresh fox broke away with four or five couple of 

 hounds and we had a sharp burst to Courtown, 

 checked and whipped off. In the meantime the 

 hunted fox was killed in the covert. The run up to 

 Laragh about i hr. and 40 minutes. A good day's 

 sport." 



On December 15, 1853, I find the following. 



" Met at 18 Milestone, very fine day, drew Killa- 

 shee, soon found, went away fast to Punchestown. 

 Soon rattled him out back to Killashee, on to 

 Herbertstown, checked for a short time, on again 

 through Killashee to Punchestown. This time the 

 hounds were some time routing him out of the 

 cover, but after a bit a fox went away, doubtful if 

 it was the hunted fox or a fresh one, and gave us a 

 slow hunting run to Hillsborough where he went 

 to ground. An excellent day's sport, the distance 

 run straight about 20 miles; time hunting 3 hours." 

 A fortnight's frost prevented hunting at the 

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