51 



To few parts except the Gaultier country could Mr. Springfield 

 "bring the hounds without experiencing unpleasantness of one sort or 

 another, while to Rathgormack, Kilmacthomas, and Ballydurn he 

 dared not go at all. 



With the exception of Mr. Patrick Francis Wall of Credan, the 

 farmers in Gaultier remained loyal to the sport all through. That 

 man and his father, Mr. Peter Wall, who held a farm from Lord 

 Waterford, just alongside Curraghmore demesne, were among the 

 most malignant obstructionists in the country throughout these 

 troublous times. 



Things got worse and worse, and hunting with the Curraghmore 

 became, from a service of sport and pleasure, that of difficulty and 

 absolute danger. 



Crowds numbering from fifty to two hundred would assemble at 

 some of the meets, jeering, hooting, and insulting alike both ladies 

 and gentlemen. 



These scoundrels attacked our Hunt even upon the public road, 

 and many times did so luheyi the hounds were in the act of drawing 

 -coverts belonging to Lord Waterford, the farms surrounding lohich ivere 

 in the hands of men icho had no objection whatever to our riding over 

 ■their land. 



Ofttimes did the mob, each member of which was armed with 

 stick, pitchfork, or other weapon, range themselves three and four 

 deep on top of some wide bank adjoining the covert where hounds 

 were drawing, and by howling, yelling, blowing horns, and every 

 means in their power strive to prevent the sport being carried on. 



On several occasions hounds got away with their fox, leaving the 

 garrisoned rampart between them and the field, so that to follow we 

 were obliged to charge and take the fence by storm. This was 

 done many times, but when the cowardly rascals saw five or six 

 men coming full gallop at thein with clubbed crops, a gap in the ranks 

 was precipitately opened and over we went, not, however, without, 

 as a rule, being able to administer a " back cut " en passa7it. 



Gentlemen returning singly or in small parties from hunting were 

 often set upon by these gangs, and they had to fly or fight for their 

 lives. 



Strange to say, the opposition and obstruction was not experienced 

 universally all over the country. Some coverts could be drawn 

 •quietly enough, to wit, Ballyneale, while, two miles off, Rathgormack 

 and Kilmacthomas dare not be approached. Neither could Ballydurn 

 be drawn, although it ivas Lord Waterford's oivn proper tg. 



Another curious fact remains, that the opposition to the hunting 

 was not as a rule carried on by those farmers who owned the land 

 surrounding the coverts, nor even by those whose land had to be 

 ridden over in a run. It came principally from those of the very 

 lowest class, and, generally speaking, the mobs were composed of 

 parties living far away from the scene of their outrages. 



