38 IRISH SPORT AND SPORTSMEN. 



county, living and having extensive premises in a 

 central position ; and to that class the selections 

 of masters had necessarily been restricted. For the 

 future the hunt will not be subject to any such 

 restrictions, and will be free from the embarrassment 

 to which, on several occasions upon the occurrence of 

 vacancies of mastership, it has led. The admission of 

 members to the hunt is by ballot. The first meet is 

 held annually on the first Tuesday in November at 

 Johnstown Inn, and on that evening the members dine 

 together at the Royal Hotel, Naas, which is con- 

 sidered the head-quarters of the hunt ; and they give 

 a ball each year, generally in the month of January. 

 Mr. David Mahony, of Grange- Con, Athy, has for 

 some years past acted as honorary secretary, and this 

 esteemed sportsman is a very able Chancellor of the 

 Exchequer. Several gentlemen subscribe very 

 liberally to the fund. His Royal Highness, the Duke 

 of Connaught, is an honorary member of the hunt, and 

 a very liberal subscriber. The popular soldier prince 

 frequently honoured the meets with his presence last 

 season. He rides remarkably well, and is, undoubtedly, 

 a first-rate all-round sportsman ; his many estimable 

 qualities have earned for him a deserved and wide- 

 spread popularity. 



Kildare is, undoubtedly, a fine hunting country. 

 The "territory" is at least forty miles long and 

 twenty miles wide, including within the bounds a con- 

 siderable portion of Wicklow and Dublin. Many 

 favourite fox haunts are situated in close proximity to 

 the " land of brown heath and shaggy wood," the 

 Wicklow mountains — but the highlands over which 

 we often follow the " pied beauties" are quite rideable 



