HISTORY OF THE KILDARE HUNT 



at the opening of Lord Naas's Mastership is pre- 

 served in an anecdote of the late Mr T. Conolly, 

 of Castletown. " Naas," said he to the Master, 

 " you've drawn one turnip field and two hedge- 

 rows and the high road, what are you going to 

 draw now? " 



Mr Conolly I imagine was rather noted for his 

 jocularity, and I remember another story of him 

 which is perhaps worth recording. Railway develop- 

 ment brought facilities for hunting men in Ireland 

 as elsewhere, and quite early in the fifties it was 

 customary for hunting men to hunt in Kildare 

 from Dublin, as it is to-day. On one morning a 

 party of Kildare fox-hunters had taken their seats 

 in a railway carriage in Dublin for Athy. They were 

 joined by a very pious Quaker lady, who, in order 

 to improve the occasion, distributed some tracts 

 she had with her among them with a few helpful 

 words to each. After a time Mr Conolly, who had 

 carefully read his tract and seemed much impressed 

 said in a sad, quiet voice: 



" You know poor Burton Bindon (the proprietor 

 of the Red Bank, a well-known Dublin restaurant)* 

 is dead. I was so glad to hear that he made a good 

 end." 



The Quaker lady leaned forward much in- 

 erested. 



* Still celebrated for oysters. 

 246 



