THE ORMOND HOUNDS. 225 



Hunt' at the same time, and at others the two 

 countries have been hunted as one." 



" So I have heard; how far back can you trace 

 the history of the ' Ormonds ? "' 



"Previous to 1778, the country was hunted by 

 private packs of the local gentry, viz., the Tolers of 

 Beechwood, the Falkiners of Mount-Falcon, and the 

 Willingtons of Rapla. In 1778-9, the ' Ormonds' 

 were kept by the late Viscount Lismore at Debs- 

 borough, near Nenagh." 



" I heard from my Gal way friend that the hounds 

 kept by the late Colonel Giles Eyre used to hunt a 

 portion of this country and part of Galway." 



"Yes; he kept hounds, and hunted the country 

 for many years previous to 18 10; and so did Hero 

 Jackson of Mount Pleasant. A neighbour of mine 

 gave me the following account of a run which took 

 place in 1809. He found it amongst some old papers 

 of his, but he does not know who the writer was : — 



*^ Extraordinary Foxhunt in Lower Ormond in 1809. 



" On the 4th of December last, Colonel Eyre's foxhounds had 

 one of the most desperate runs ever recorded, of one hour and 

 fifty minutes — desperate from its length, desperate from ' the pace' 

 kept up, and desperate from the dreadful storm that raged for 

 nearly the last hour, and in the very teeth of which reynard ran. 

 With the exception of short check, the chase was maintained with 

 unabaling fury all through, to choose a leap was to be thrown out. 

 At half-past eight o'clock in themorning they drew over theold earth 

 of Coolagoran for the * spotted fox.' Tony, the huntsman, know- 

 ing well his abilities from former runs, matched his chase hounds 

 the day before, and fed them early. He calls this pack the 'Light 

 Infantry,' to distinguish them from the slack, heavy draft that were 

 lately sent from England. I was on the earth a little after eight; 

 it was rising ground, and as the dawn broke 'twas cheering to 



