THE CASHELMORE HOUNDS. 175 



Among the first-flight riders of the old day was the 

 then Countess of Bandon, ancestor two generations 

 removed from the present Earl. The hounds had found 

 a fox at Kilbrittain, now the residence of Colonel 

 Alcock Stawell —all former proprietors of Kilbrittain 

 patronised hunting and joined in the sport. The pre- 

 sent proprietor does not do so, but that can be ac- 

 counted for by the fact that Stawell is an assumed 

 name. Kilbrittain fell to an heiress. Colonel Alcock 

 married the heiress and took the name, so that he is 

 not the true blood of the Stawells of Kilbrittain, who 

 were ever famous for love of the sport. The hounds 

 had found at Kilbrittain and ran their fox hard to Kil- 

 macsimon. Opposite Shippool the fox took the water, 

 and swam across the estuary, the tide being fully 

 in. The hounds close at their fox followed — and Lady 

 Bandon unhesitatingly dashed in after them. Out of a 

 large field the only one who dared to follow her was Ned 

 O'Brien. He said afterwards that of himself he would 

 not have dreamed of doing such a thing, but he was 

 certain she would be drowned, and being a first-rate 

 swimmer himself, he thought he might render her 

 some assistance. Fortunately their horses carried 

 both across in safety. Such were the first-flight riders 

 of the old day, all long since dead. 



Of those who were so and still remain the worthy 

 master is to be named, who, now in his seventy-fifth 

 year, still goes out with his hounds, and rides over a 

 fence occasionally in a style that shows what he was 

 in the hey-day of youth. 



From his great knowledge of the country, also, he 

 stills gets ahead in a surprising manner, and manages 

 to be within hail " there," or " thereabouts," at the 



