THE KILKENNY HOUNDS. 25 I 



who believe in the words of that little song you often 

 heard : — 



" * With a pretty face close to your own, 



I am sure there's no reason for sighing, 

 Or when walking beside her alone. 



Why the b s be talking of dying ; 



That's the way though in France and in Spain, 



Where love is not real but acted ; 

 You must always pretend you're insane. 



Or at least that you're partly distracted.'" 



** Well sung ; but favour me with what you know 

 about ' your pack,' and then I will call on you for a 

 song." 



** The Kilkenny Hunt was formed, close on a cen- 

 tury ago, by John Power and his brother Richard 

 of Tullaghmaine Castle, county Tipperary. John 

 Power — afterwards Sir John — took up his residence at 

 Derry, near Ballyhale, and here he formed the Kil- 

 kenny pack. No man did more for fox-hunting in 

 Ireland than he, and the proof is he made the Kil- 

 kenny country ; he fenced in its coverts, had patches 

 of gorse sown in every suitable place, and formed 

 the Kilkenny Hunt Club." 



** It was a very select club, was it not?" 



"Yes. The members met in Kilkenny in the 

 months of November and February every year. The 

 leading sportsmen of all Ireland attended these re- 

 unions. It is so long ago it is not easy to ascertain 

 the names of the principal members ; but Sir Wheeler 

 Cuffe, Sir Nicholas Ruftus, Mr. Bayley of Norelands, 

 Sir R. Cox, Bart., Messrs. Montmorency, Ponsonby, 

 and Cooke, were great supporters, as was nearly every 

 gentleman in the county. I should add too the name 



