155 



Prince of Wales in 1868, has been dubbed "Princely," as Ascot and 

 Goodwood are designated " Royal " and " Glorious." 



His lordship, with wisdom and foresight, created a race fund by 

 soliciting subscriptions beforehand for the meeting of 1861, and 

 continued to do so for some years after. These came from each Hunt 

 in Ireland, and from many sportsmen who wished to help the good work. 

 His appeal was met with such liberal response, a nice capital and 

 sinking fund was soon created ; and as the receipts from stand, course, 

 and entries were very considerable, he was enabled not alone to carry 

 out all his plans, but to vastly increase the stakes, until in this year, 

 1892, they aggregate £2,760 in cash, with cups value £250 for a two 

 days' meeting of twelve races. 



The late lamented Earl of Clonmell for many years added £25 to the 

 Farmers' Race. Alas ! that genuine sportsman and prince of good 

 fellows joined the majority in June, 1891, and nowhere will his loss 

 be more deeply felt than at Punchestown, where for over twenty 

 meetings he dispensed lavish hospitality, and welcomed alike both 

 friends and strangers with that jovial heartiness which at all times 

 characterised the genial lord of Bishopscourt.* 



Lord Drogheda's conservative opinions were, as in many other 

 instances, evidenced in his control of Punchestown. He preserved in 

 their natural state its classic courses, and all hail to him for doing 

 so. At the same time he went with the times as regards stand-house 

 requirements, while his thorough knowledge of steeplechasing was ever 

 and anon in evidence by the alterations and additions he made in the 

 annual programme, which invariably bore advantageous result. 



Atrocious doctrines against hunting, and all else pertaining to Irish 

 gentlemen, began to be preached by the leaders of the Land League 

 towards the end of the seventies. As stated elsewhere these foul 

 precepts bore fruit eventually, and for several seasons great opposition 

 to hunting was shown all over Ireland. 



The Kildare Hunt, like the Curraghmore, was singled out for especial 

 malignity in consequence of its being so eminently -supported and 

 represented by the Irish aristocracy and gentry. 



Outrages of the most horrible description — similar to those described 

 in the Curraghmore chapter— were committed, including poisoning of 

 poor inoffensive hounds and foxes, burning some of the best coverts 

 in the county, prevention of hunting by organised mobs surrounding 

 coverts, shouting, hooting, blowing horns, and ringing bells, not to speak 

 of insulting ladies and gentlemen in the most scandalous manner. In a 

 word, the Kildare Hounds were unable to hunt with any degree of 

 pleasure to their followers duricg the season 1881-82. 



The programme for Punchestown is always issued early in January, 

 and in 1882 it came out with the suggestive proviso that the Stewards 

 reserved to themselves the right to withdraw the meeting if they deemed 



* Since writing this chapter Lord Droglieda has also died. — Author. 



