THE UNITED HUNT. 219 



seven opponents for the cross-country blue-ribbon. 

 He also owned Caprice, a dark-grey mare (dam of 

 Frailty), a wonder over four miles. She won many 

 races under " Eddy" Keegan, who believed her to be 

 the best animal he ever bestrode. Mr. Courtenay was 

 a notable man to hounds, and rivalled his friend Lord 

 Henry in those feats of horsemanship which have made 

 the name of Waterford imperishable. When an old 

 man, in 1858, Mr. Courtenay capped his former per- 

 formances by riding his hunter, Blenheim, over the 

 dining-table " set-out" for supper in the Club House, 

 Kilkenny. He sold his hounds to Sir Nugent Humble 

 in 1848. 



The country was not then hunted until 1855, 

 when Mr. Robert Uniacke of Castletown, near Kil- 

 leagh, bought Sir Nugent Humble's pack, and 

 hunted this entire district, as well as a portion of 

 Waterford, which had been previously hunted by 

 the Black Water Vale Hounds, and were sold 

 in 1847. ^^^' Uniacke carried the horn for two 

 seasons, with John Smith as first, and Wm. Keeffe 

 as second whip. He then gave up the Waterford 

 country, and took a large tract of that formerly hunted 

 by the late Lord Shannon, and the pack were known 

 by the old name of the " Union Hounds." John 

 Smith was huntsman for a couple of years, then Patrick 

 Neil, who was entered by Mr. Uniacke as second whip, 

 was promoted to the office ; he failed as a huntsman, 

 however, and became first whip under James Alex- 

 ander. In 1870, Lord Shannon bought Mr. Uniacke 

 and the late Lord Fermoy's hounds, and the two coun- 

 tries (for Lord Fermoy hunted half the Union country 

 from the time the late Lord Shannon died till 1870). 



