Bob Watson, sometime Master of the
Carlow & Island Fox Hunt, and also of his son, John Watson, Master of
the Meath Hunt.
The Foxes Earth
An epiphany is defined as “the
sudden realization or comprehension of the essence or meaning of
something”. Quite when Irish huntsman Robert Watson had his epiphany is
uncertain. It may have occurred in the wake of one of his many falls.
Perhaps it was the one where he broke his leg crossing a fence in Gorey
in 1862. But more likely it was that strange afternoon of 30th January
1879 when his horse fell at a hazardous fence and broke its neck. What
was strange was that the Whip's horse, jumping next, met precisely the
same fate while a third horse dropped dead just as it reached the fence.
At any rate, Bob Watson’s epiphany was that he would one day be
reincarnated as a fox.
-
- The Carlow Hunt December 1963
Bob Watson probably counted foxes
to get to sleep at night. His bloodline was about as thickly fox-hunterish
as you get. His grandfather is credited with killing the last wild Irish
wolf at Myshall, Co. Carlow. His father co-founded the Tullow Hunt. His
uncle was Master of the Cotswolds. His brother went to Australia and
became Master of the Melbourne Hunt. His son John was a famous
international polo player and Master of the Meath Hounds. And Bob
himself was Master of the Carlow & Island Hunt for 32 years.
If you were convinced you were
going to be reincarnated as a fox, what would you do? Bob Watson took no
chances. At the time, his family lived at Larchill in Co. Kildare. Bob
designed a knobbly grass-covered mound, shaped exactly like a Foxes
Earth, and whacked it bang in the midst of Larchill’s beautiful Arcadian
Gardens (www.larchill.ie). He pitched a rough semi-columned temple on
top and ensured the mound was full of useful escape tunnels, each one
carefully tapered so that a fox could zip through but a slightly bigger
hound could not.
-
- The Carlow Hunt
|
- The Carlow Hunt outside
Ballydarton House
|
- The Carlow Hunt
|
Bob Watson died aged 86 in 1908 and
was buried at Fenagh, Co Carlow. At his funeral, the mourners were
apparently instructed to shout the hunter's cry "gone-away gone-away".
It is assumed that Bob the Fox then made his way to Larchill where he
now roams the water meadows and perennial borders, mingling with frogs
and dragonflies, dining on wild duck and breathing in the aroma of herbs
and wildflowers. Bob the Fox does not fear the hunters’ horn. In his
last will and testament, Bob the Man banned fox-hunting, in perpetuity,
at Larchill.
- (As published in The Irish Times Magazine,
July 2008).
- By Turtle Bunbury
Source: Turtle
Bunbury
Carlow Hunt Ball.
Nationalist
and Leinster Times.
January 21st
1947.
Carlow Hunt
Ball.
A
correspondent writes that while the Carlow Hunt Ball at Lisnavagh,
attracted an overflow attendance, it also attracted a spate of local
comment, when it was learned that the Ball concluded with the playing of
"God Save the King" instead of our own National Anthem.
He thinks
that this occurrence calls for an explanation from the Committee.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nationalist
and Leinster Times.
28th January
1947.
Readers'
Views.
-
Carlow Hunt
Ball.
- Lisnavagh,
Rathvilly,
- January
22nd, 1947.
- Dear Sir.
- Your
correspondent should be more certain of his facts before he "calls upon
the Committee" for an explanation.
- Our own
National Anthem was most certainly played at the conclusion of the Ball.
Yours
faithfully,
Rathdonnell.
["Rathdonnell" as signed herein is Lord Rathdonnell (Billy Bunbury), his
ilk signed documents etc. by using just the title of their lordship.]
Source: Michael Purcell & PPP
CARLOW SPORT
- © 2001 County
Carlow Irish Genealogy Project. IGP
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