MR WILLIAM KENNEDY, 1847-1854 



showed most excellent sport through this, his last 

 season. I note that on March 11 a fox baffled the 

 hounds during no less than two and a quarter 

 hours at Arthurstown, but when he did break he 

 gave them a fast forty minutes to ground at the 

 back of Johnstown. On the 17th (St Patrick's 

 Day) with the meet at 18 Milestone and a great 

 crowd of spectators and a large field, who, as the 

 major records, " wanted to hunt the fox them- 

 selves." They drew Mullacash blank, but on leaving 

 the covert " got on a travelling fox, the hounds 

 went very fast, scarcely any of the field with them, 

 straight for Punchestown, passed it, turned for 

 Killashee, through the covert, on through Beggars 

 End to Punchestown, where lost. Could not ac- 

 count for the fox." 



In Mr Kennedy's own diary is a laconic note of 

 the accident which ended his Mastership. 

 " March 23rd, 1854. Came to grief. Hounds did 

 not hunt again, as I was dangerously ill, and my 

 death daily expected." I may perhaps quote Major 

 de Robeck's account of Mr Kennedy's misfortune. 

 The meet was at Straffan, and after drawing Lady 

 Castle and Turnings blank they " dragged on 

 close to Baronrath, where at an ugly up jump 

 W. Kennedy's horse fell back hurting W. K. very 

 much; ribs broke, and lungs dangerously injured. 

 I went off sharp to Rathcoole for the doctor. 



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