THE MEATH HOUNDS. I07 



amalgamated with the "Clongills," who removed their 

 quarters to Mitchelstown, near Athboy, Mr. Hopkins 

 being master, and were then for the first time called 

 the Meath Hounds. There were at this time very 

 few gorse coverts in the county, and foxes certainly 

 were not numerous ; the best were at Bengarstown, 

 Mitchelstown, and Balrath. Swainstown and Kil- 

 carty were then, as now, famous fox haunts ; the 

 country was not at that time as extensive as at pre- 

 sent, but they hunted over what is now decidedly 

 the "cream" of " Royal Meath' s" luxuriant pastures. 

 During Mr. Hopkins's mastership they met regularly 

 once a month at Corbalton Hall, the handsome resi- 

 dence of the late Mr. Corballis, M.P., as good a 

 sportsman as ever lived, and one who represented the 

 county in parliament for many years, won the esteem and 

 regard of his constituents — indeedof all true Irishmen — 

 and who exerted himself very much for the advancement 

 of the hunting interest. Dan Grennan was huntsman 

 at this time. The next master was Sir C. Dillon, 

 with Henry Wilnow, an Englishman, as huntsman. 

 He was followed by Mr. T. B. Thompson, who 

 became master in 1836, and gave them up in 1839 to 

 Mr. James N. Waller of Allenstown, who kept them 

 until 1841, when he gave them up to a committee 

 consisting of Messrs. John Tisdall, John Pollock, and 

 Thomas Rothwell. 



In 1845, Mr. Trench Nugent took them. This 

 gentleman gave great satisfaction during his reign, 

 and he was subsequently master of the North War- 

 wickshire Hounds for some years. He gave them up 

 in 1852 to the late Mr. S. A. Reynell. Then a new^ era 

 opened for foxhunters in the county Meath. Many 



