THE LIMERICK FOXHOUNDS. 19I 



and also for many years proprietor of a first-class pack of harriers, 

 John Westropp of Attyflinn Park. I will head the city contingent 



with the names of Ralph and John Westropp, cousins to the afore- 

 said John, the second being father of Ralph, of coursing celebrity, 

 and Captain John of the County Militia. The other citizen sup- 

 porters of the hunt were Captain Jervis (called the ' Rake' in 

 George Lake's celebrated hunting song), the Verekers, James 

 Peacock, Ralph Jameson, the two Spaights, James (our present 

 worthy Mayor) and William, who for some time kept his horses at 

 Carass; the Steins (contemporaries of the Spaights), and James 

 Kelly, for some time INI.P. for the city, but who kept his hunting 

 establishment at Ballinanty, near BrufT. There was also a fair 

 sprinkling of the military from the Limerick garrison. Clare 

 sent the two Carneys — INIatt and poor Denis, of steeplechase 

 notoriety — the M'Mahons, and some others. The Cork men, 

 who used to come more frequently, and in larger numbers than at 

 present, were James Russell of Mount Russell, father of P. J. 

 Russell; I\Iichael of Glenmore, father-in-law of Mr. *'Appleton,"^ 

 and father of the owner of Country Lass ; the Harrisons of Castle 

 Harrison ; the Bruces, Crone of Bybloss ; Lord Doneraile, Brazier 

 of Ballyellis ; the Barrys, Tom Freeman, and some military men 

 from Buttevant, also Mr. Stawel. 



" If I were at all to allude to the splendid runs of those days, 

 which were not by any means few and far between, I fear that my 

 enthusiasm would carry me to such a length as would make you 

 lose all patience, and tempt you to throw the whole production 

 into the waste-paper basket. My writing this account was suggested 

 by the circumstance of my being driven to my wit's ends for a 

 means of getting over one of the many wet and dismal days with 

 which we have been visited during the last three months. I venture 

 to send you my lucubrations anent fox-hunting, for though wit- 

 nessed on a day very little less gloomy than night they are really 

 the thoughts suggested during some sleepless hours, the absence 

 of the influence of Somnus being mainly due to inability to take 

 outdoor active exercise, owing to the frightfully inclement weather 

 that has so long prevailed. Should you not feel bored by them I 

 would continue to give you from time to time an outline of the 

 history of the hunt through the various stages of its career subse- 



* Mr. John Hutchinson. 



