120 COURSING 



Mourne Park, the first of the Irish enclosures, was esta- 

 blished by the Earl of Kilmorey in the autumn of 1879. The 

 ground could hardly then, nor could it till a couple of years 

 later, be strictly called an enclosure, as the hares were driven 

 from a spinney ; in fact, it was not an enclosure as the term 

 is generally understood. A few years later the present 

 coursing ground was designed by Mr. Case. Hares have 

 never run stoutly at Mourne Park, but it was well adapted for 

 trying puppies, and being generally the first meeting of the 

 season was well patronised by English and Scotch coursers; 

 the beauty of the surrounding scenery was also a great attrac- 

 tion to visitors. One meeting, sometimes two in the season, 

 continued to be held until the year 1890. 



Purdysburn was established in the North of Ireland in 

 1 890. A club was formed in Belfast, and permission obtained 

 from that good sportsman, the late Mr. R. N. Batt, to hold 

 a couple of meetings during the season in his demesne. 

 The ground was well adapted for coursing, and the manage- 

 ment being in the hands of a most business-like and energetic 

 committee, Purdysburn soon took high rank amongst the 

 coursing fixtures of the season. As with Holestone, there is 

 no lack of support in the shape of greyhounds, large numbers 

 being bred every year in the surrounding country. 



Trabolgan, in the South of Ireland, if not so easy of access 

 as the other three meetings just mentioned, is not inferior 

 to any of them in the quality of the sport provided. Situated 

 in Lord Fermoy's demesne overlooking Cork Harbour, in 

 fine weather it is a delightfully wild and picturesque spot. 

 Hares are reared on the ground, and are driven from two spin- 

 neys, one at each end of a large field, so that the running 

 happily partakes of the character of open coursing. Few 

 understand better than the noble owner of Trabolgan, Lord 

 Fermoy, coursing and the management of hares, and hence 

 sport of a high order may always be reckoned upon at 

 the Southern Club meetings. Unfortunately, there is not 

 the same keen ardour for coursing in the province of Mun- 



