139 



To an old fogey like myself it does seem difficult to understand what 

 useful result can be produced by allowing hunters to run against each 

 other on the Jlat. Except the Brighton Downs, I know no country over 

 which we can follow hounds without fencing. Oh ! were our old rulers 

 and mentors of chase and 'chasing to look up and see what is now going 

 on, methinks they would go back and contentedly remain where they are ! 



I always looked upon hurdle-racing as an iniquitous institution. 

 What practical use is it or can it be ? It is hybrid and serves no good 

 purpose, and affords only an opportunity for gambling additional to the 

 many which exist, and that over a lot of devils which are as worthless 

 for flat-racing as they are for steeplechasing. 



Most of the multitudes who now attend races don't care a jot for the 

 sport ; they come only to bet and for the outing. They would rather 

 stay at home at their desk or counter and back some " tip " than go 

 without having a bet on him, to see that horse run. Take from the 

 stands at Punchestown and Leopardstown the ladies and the commercial 

 element, the one coming to see and to be seen, the other to gamble, and 

 a very sparse attendance will be left, but among it will be found the 

 sjyortsmen. 



The farmers, as a rule, have not as yet succumbed to the infatuation 

 of betting, and still like to see a good steeplechase over a natural coun- 

 try ; but they would not give a pin to see one over the cock-pit courses 

 of modern days, with their abominable abortions of fences. Therefore 

 they stay away, even if living within a few miles of these artificial 

 hippodromes. On the other hand, they always go to the point-to-point 

 races, to Fairyhouse, and to Punchestown, where, with good sport, they 

 see racing over natural fences. This proves that, notwithstanding a 

 great reduction in the peasant population, there are many in the country 

 still who could go to races if they cared ; and that the f alling-off in their 

 attendance at country meetings is not wholly attributable to emi- 

 gration, although many people contend it is. 



I speak about this from personal experience. To our old Curragh- 

 more meeting, held annually over the almost natural course at 

 Williamstown, every farmer, with his wife, daughters, sons, and 

 labourers, crowded, lining the fences and every vantage ground in their 

 thousands, same as was done thirty years before at Cashel and Barrons- 

 town, ay, and they would come many a mile by rail and road for the 

 purpose. Not so to a neighbouring meeting, quite as well carried out 

 in its way, but with an artificial course ; to that few of the farmers 

 would go, dismissing the bare suggestion, as scores of them have done 

 to myself, with the observation, " I would not be bothered looking at the 

 like'M 



Tramore is the meeting I allude to. Since then Mr. Martin Murphy 

 has done everything to make it first class, except to provide a natural 

 country, which is impossible, and it is now among the racing community 

 and townspeople one of the most fashionable meetings in Ireland ; but 

 the farmers don't attend, even though they have now no Williamstown. 



