THE CURRAGHAIORE HOUNDS. 6/ 



cover generally, and nothing gives him such pleasure 

 as when we do ; and though he does all he can to have 

 the foxes preserved, he is not supported as he ought 

 to be. 



The Kilmacthomas country, which we call that 

 which takes in Ballydurn,Kilmoylan,Currabaha, Wood- 

 house, &c., is an extent of some ten miles square, and 

 is as fine a hunting country as ever was ridden over : 

 big, safe fences, and good galloping, the fields all grass, 

 in some places rather small, and a bog now and again 

 comes in the way. The Rathgormack country is what 

 is from Croghawn Hill to Gurteen, and is just like the 

 Kilmacthomas. Some of the Gaultier district is very 

 good — some middling enough — but his lordship does 

 not hunt that portion very often. If he put a gorse 

 cover somewhere near Belle Lake, and looked after 

 the Dunmore and Lesalan covers, this would afford 

 him another day a week, and he would have good sport 

 down there, as foxes are plenty, and well preserved by 

 Sir Robert Paul, Mr. Power of Faithlegg, and others. 

 The portions he got from the Tipperarys and the Kil- 

 kennys (the latter the Ross country), are the cream 

 of our *' happy hunting-grounds." Nothing can beat 

 them for fair play to hounds and for trying what the 

 men and horses are made of : nearly all grass, and big, 

 safe, double fences. The country from Carrigtruss, 

 say to Knockbrack, is " much of a muchness ;" very 

 fair, with small fences, mostly walls ; but some bogs 

 are to be found there. Taking the Curraghmore 

 country "all in all" it is a very good one, and most 

 certainly, is as good scenting a one as any in Ireland. 

 Very little plough, 7iot a strand of tvire (except 

 on the railways) ; and we have every description 



