LORD NAAS, 1857-1862 



very properly pervades the Meath and the Kildare 

 Hunts. A number of graziers from both countries 

 were talking over the great run at market when 

 some one expressed wonder that the fox had not 

 got to ground during an eighteen mile point. Mr 

 Michael CuUen who overheard the conversation re- 

 marked that he admitted that it was a Meath fox 

 that had given such fine sport, and that was why he 

 did not go to ground. " He thought it was the 

 Meath Hounds that were hunting him," he added, 

 " and knew, therefore, that his life was safe and that 

 there was no need to get to ground. But he made 

 a bad mistake, and paid the penalty." 



Such, then, is the story of the Laragh run of 

 November, 1859, ^^^ ^ expect that few will be 

 found to disagree with Mr Kennedy when he 

 claims for it that it was the finest run on record in 

 any country. But as I have included some miscel- 

 laneous remarks on Irish sport generally, which, 

 though not strictly relevant to the history of the 

 Kildare Hounds, seem to be of present interest, I 

 shall make no apology in setting out a very extra- 

 ordinary account of an Irish fox which I found in 

 the pages of the old Sporting Magazine, a fox which 

 apparently gave runs which may compare with that 

 of Laragh. It was written by Sir Philip Hoare, from 

 whose Recollections of My Sporting Life I have 

 already quoted at length in a former chapter. 



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