340 IRISH SPORT AND SPORTSMEN. 



Court revolution shrouded in gloom the events of the 

 time, and the subject of this biography, while endea- 

 vouring to float the family estates in the rushing 

 torrent of overwhelming difficulties, was a marked 

 man ; twice fired at, and once saved, when his des- 

 truction seemed almost certain, by one of the party 

 sworn to take, we might say, that charmed life away ; 

 but, at the last moment, it appeared that the would-, 

 be assassin's heart was touched, and could not forget 

 acts of kindness received and love engendered while 

 sporting together with his intended victim, his master 

 in happier times. He created a panic amongst his 

 companions, and in the hands of Providence, saved a 

 life — of such impulses Ireland can and ever will be 

 able to boast. 



Again, in 1853, we find Mr. Moore residing at 

 Moatfield, in Tipperary, as popular as if nothing had 

 ever occurred; and in 1855, he rode his famous, but, 

 therefore, unmanageable hunter, Express, by Hark- 

 away, I St. 3lb. overweight, for the Galway Members' 

 Hunt Race, over the Knockbarron course, four 

 and a-half and five feet walls, three miles; and 

 although he had wasted considerably, he could not 

 scale less than i3st. 31b., with a 51b. saddle; breaking 

 a leather a mile and a-half from home, he was, of 

 course, much exhausted by the hardest of pullers, yet 

 he was second, beaten only by a length. Eight started, 

 and Mr. "Val" Blake's grey gelding, Gortnamona, 

 ridden by Mr. " Tom " Naghten, owner of that great 

 chaser Thomastown, won. He was again second for 

 the i4st. Welter Stakes at Oundle, in Leicestershire, 

 a few months afterwards ; and, strange to say, 

 came second in the i6st. Welter Stake next day, over 



