Conference noted::equitation

826.0. "a little hunting history from Ireland" by EASE::BRADSHAW (Don't worry,, Baldrick has a cunning and devious plan) Fri Nov 22 1991 14:39

         While reading a new publication from the village where I live
         I found the following article, makes some interesting reading.

         Reproduced from the Castlepollard Chronicle, Vol 1 No 1,
         November 1991; Originally published in the Faulkners Dublin
         Journal, January 31 1788.  This text is reproduced here
         with permission from Bill Ryan the editor.

                   A remarkable fox chase occurred
                   on Tuesday, 22nd at Beggar's
                   benison Meeting, Castlepollard.
                   Mr. Naper's hounds unkennelled
                   a fox in Mr. Pollards deerpark
                   who leaped the deerpark walls
                   upwards of 6 feet, followed by
                   26 couples of hounds and eleven
                   horsemen. He made for Knock Ion
                   where he was shut out, and hard
                   pressed he swam the lake nearly
                   a mile across, the hounds
                   having full entaphis of him. 
                   He hied the Crookewood, then
                   back through Pakenham Hall to
                   Carlinstown, but finding no
                   earth to admit him he ran to
                   the Inny where his attempt to
                   clear the river near the Float
                   the hounds ran into him after a
                   3 hours run in which he could
                   not had run less that 23 miles. 
                   Out a field of 30 horseman, 13
                   rode in. Mr. Nicholas of
                   Castlepollard in attempting to
                   swim the lake was nearly
                   drowned, His horse was lost.

         I guess the jump over a 6ft stone wall set the scene for the
         rest of the hunt!

         Jonathan