2l8 IRISH SPORT AND SPORTSMEN. 



and fourth heats of the best-contested steeplechase that ever came 

 off in Fermoy, beating Red Rover, the conqueror of Barkiston and 

 Conrad, since sold to the Marquis of Waterford for 300 guineas. 

 Next to these, if not in with them, should be placed Mr. Wakeham 

 on Cigar, the winner of the Muskerry Cup. About a field behind 

 came Mr. Morris of Dunkettle, on Clinker ; Mr. Roche, the owner 

 of the hounds, on Champion, a 200-guinea article; and the hunts- 

 man on a Whiteboy mare. Dinny, the whip, dived into a bog-hole 

 about the fourth mile, and never took his place again until all was 

 over. The innate modesty of an Irishman prevents my placing 

 myself; suffice it to say that I don't quote the knight of the birch 

 at second-hand. Mr. H. Barry and three or four others formed 

 the rear-guard, and arrived just as we had finished a fierce attack 

 on a venison pasty and sundry other good things at Mr. Fitz- 

 gerald's, in Castle Lyons, and as we were about to ' fight our fox- 

 hunt over again.' They told us the usual pitiful tale of broken 

 stirrup-leathers, lost shoes, &c., which were received, as such stories 

 always are, with a horse-laugh." 



Soon after the publication of this article Mr. 

 Roche's hounds were dispersed. In 1840, Mr. Devon- 

 shire sold his pack to the late Lord Shannon ; and 

 they were hunted for a few seasons by a man named 

 Brown. In 1845, Tom Smith, from the Brocklesby, suc- 

 ceeded to the horn, and he was quite an fait at the 

 business, and he had valuable aids in the brothers 

 Atkinson, who were whippers-in to him. In 1847, ^^^ 

 Lordship disposed of his hounds to Lord Southampton, 

 and Smith went with them. That famous sportsman, 

 Mr. John Courtenay of Ballyedmond kept a pack of 

 hounds for some years, and showed very good sport, 

 over what is now the United Hunt district. Mr. 

 Courtenay (whilom Steward of the Turf Club) owned 

 several good racers and chasers. In 1847, he won the 

 Liverpool Grand National with Matthew, which, under 

 the careful guidance of Denny Wynne, defeated twenty- 



