THE MEATH HOUNDS. 



109 



his reign he himself hunted the hounds, and with very 

 great success. 



On his giving them up, in 1872, they were taken 

 by the present master, Mr. Wm. Newcome Waller, 

 with M 'Bride as huntsman. The latter was succeeded, 

 in 1876, by Frank Goodall. They hunt regularly five 

 days a week, and for several seasons they have had 

 uninterrupted good sport, the country being full of 

 foxes, and farmers and gentlemen equally keen about 

 their preservation. Before concluding, I shall say a few 

 words about those good sportsmen, past and present, 

 who have distinguished themselves in the field. In 

 the days of the old " Clongills," Frank Hopkins, John 

 O'Connor, John Thompson of Rathnally, T. Somer- 

 ville (brother of the late Lord Athlumney, and one 

 who, I am glad to say, is even still able to show a 

 straight line across country), and Mr. Coddington of 

 Oldbridge, were all known as very good men. The 

 Church was also well represented, and the Arch- 

 deacon of Meath (De Lacy), and the Rev. Frank 

 Saunderson, from Cavan, were very hard to beat. 

 In more modern times, Mr. Robert Wade of Clon- 

 braney, Mr. Richard Barnwall of Blumsberry, were 

 really good men, also the late Mr. W. S. Garnett of 

 Rosneen. 



On reference to the archives of the Meath 

 Hounds, I find that the ancestors of the present 

 master have been long connected with the pack. 

 No man living is more devoted to the ** noble 

 science " than he. Though the task of officiating as 

 master is to him a "labour of love," nevertheless, 

 there are but few men would undertake hunting five 

 days a week over such an extensive territory ; but he 



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