I08 IRISH SPORT AND SPORTSMEN. 



of those who were connected with the many packs 

 which were in the county before he took the title of 

 M.M.F.H. were undoubtedly sportsmen true and 

 tried, but no man ever did more to promote the 

 interest of foxhunters in Ireland than Mr. Sam 

 Reynell. He improved the country immensely ; he 

 established coverts in all directions, and the gorse 

 may now be seen flourishing in desirable situations 

 throughout the extensive hunting-grounds of the 

 " Meaths." Before he commenced his reign no 

 hounds hunted beyond Trim, whereas now their dis- 

 trict is, without exception, I think, the largest in 

 Ireland. Most of my readers have heard of Bengars- 

 town gorse. When Mr. Reynell took the pack this 

 covert was three acres in extent ; he made it double 

 the size. It was situated on his own property, and 

 notwithstanding the frequent visitations of Reynard's 

 enemies to it he is seldom an absentee now. 



" They may come — they may draw it as oft as they will, 

 The bouquet of foxdom will cling to it still." 



When Mr. Reynell was master he was obliged to hunt 

 only five days a fortnight, but he was one of those 

 mighty Nimrods who would, if possible, hunt six days 

 a week, and run a drag to church on Sundays, and 

 he used frequently hunt four and five days a week. 

 He received ^i,ooo per annum, and a few years 

 before he resigned the subscription was increased to 

 ^i,20(3 — a sum not at all sufficient to cover the out- 

 lay. He deserves much praise, too, for having founded 

 that useful body of distinguished sportsmen, the Fox- 

 hunting committee of Ireland. Will and Tom 

 Mathews, and George Cox, now with Lord Eglington, 

 were huntsmen under him ; but in the latter years of 



