198 IRISH SPORT AND SPORTSMEN. 



Lawrence, than whom a keener sportsman or better fellow is not 

 to be found in the county. Steady to my purpose and to locality, 

 I will name F. Kelly, son to James, whose name I have given you 

 among the veterans. He cannot claim the same long connection 

 with the hunt that all the others can, as during a great part of 

 the time I speak of he resided out of the county, I believe on his 

 father's property at Cahercon, in the county of Clare ; but as he 

 has been for some years connected with the Hunt, and keeps, and 

 can steer well, a few good ones, I could not well omit his name. 

 Not far from the same locality, but lying a little more to the East, 

 is the country that has produced two right good men, the Ryans — 

 (John, our worthy sub-sheriff) and his brother, whose Christian 

 name I do not know; the former one of the best men out, and 

 whom nature specially formed as a perfect specimen of a riding 

 man — average height, straight as a whip, and not an ounce of 

 waste flesh about him ; as a rider, he is cool and steady, always 

 well placed, and never incurs the anger of the master by rash 

 riding. 



''Trying back towards home I will name Captain Edward 

 Croker of the Grange ; though heavy he rides steadily and is well 

 placed, is never absent from the meet, and a dispenser of princely 

 hospitality to all comers whenever the meet takes place in his 

 neighbourhood and on all other occasions. He is the son of the 

 Rev. Robert, whose name and character you have in my last 

 communication, and is the nephew maternally of the two highly 

 respectable gentlemen who formerly occupied the splendid resi- 

 dence of which he is now the proprietor. I will simply give you 

 the name of his neighbour and relative, H. S. M. Croker, as any 

 eulogy of mine, or any description of him, would be simply ridi- 

 culous and presumptuous, as his fame as a sportsman is known 

 far beyond the limits of this bounty. Still pursuing my western 

 course, I name James Bennett of Fedamore (son to the Rev. James), 

 who has been a long time connected with the hunt, and is entitled 

 to a first-rate position. He is among the light-weights, but 

 always with a horse in proportion, and sure to be there or there- 

 abouts—a quiet, amiable fellow, and much and deservedly liked. 

 William R. Croker of Alston, who, though long ago discontinuing 

 the actual working part of the interesting business, still looks 

 after it on four-wheels with as much interest as of old. Imme- 

 diately near Mr. Croker's residence there formerly resided as good 



