The Carlow Sentinal, 7th February, 1919. In the King's Bench Division on Tuesday before Mr Justice Madden and Mr Justice Kenny, in the case of the King vs Michael Walshe of Sinn Fein from Tullow, Carlow, who was ordered six months imprisonment by a court martial for being in possession of certain explosives at Tullow, application was made for a conditional order to bring up, for the purpose of being quashed, the proceedings before the court martial. The Carlow Sentinel, 7th February 1919. Letter to the Editor. Moyle, Carlow. February 4th 1919. Sir ---Having read with much interest letters from Mr. Bell, Mr. Burke, and Colonel Moore, perhaps you can spare me space, as one of the oldest active Masters of Hounds in Ireland, to have my say, and, perhaps, throw some light on matters which are imperfectly understood. This month of February is the most important one in the whole year to a Master of Hounds, because in it he contracts either to carry on the sport for another year or give over his country to other hands on May 1st. He also either contracts to keep on his servants for the following season or engages new ones for a like period. About now also he is looking out to replenish his stud, and also breeding his hounds. Masters of Hounds, I may safely say, are a non-political body of men. Personally I have never taken any interest in politics, and during the fourteen years I have hunted the Carlow Hounds I have been most careful never to attend any meeting, subscribe to any organisation, or sign any document that in the remotest way could be connected with politics, and I am sure the same applies to other Masters in Ireland. Therefore I say that the Sinn Fein Executive cannot have any quarrel with us. We spend a great deal of money on the sport we manage. The most moderate two day a week country cannot be worked in present times under an annual cost of £1,500, while many four day a week countries cost more then double that amount. The sum spent and the employment given, directly and indirectly, on the sport are vast, especially if you take into consideration the number of people who live in Ireland and spend their money, and who would not otherwise do so, were it not for the sport they enjoy. Take the Dublin Horse Show alone---the amount of money it brings into Dublin is very great. Again, the trade in hunters is one of Ireland's most successful industries, to say nothing of local shows, point-to-point races, and a hundred and one other functions more or less connected with the chase. Fox-hunting can only exist on two broad principles, the first of which is that you must have good-will and welcome of the owners and occupiers of land over which you hunt. The second is that it must be open to all, both rich and poor alike , to enjoy, and must be absolutely non-political. Nationalist, Unionist, and Sinn Feiners are all equally welcome at the covert side, and are expected for the time being to leave their politics at home. Now, sir, I come to the point of this letter, which is that we Masters of Hounds should be told now, at this important time of the year, once and for all, if we are to be allowed to hunt or not. The Sinn Fein Executive have no quarrel with us. Let them play the game, and say at once what they mean to do , if they wish to abolish fox-hunting in Ireland and are backed up in that desire by the majority of their supporters, there is no doubt that it cannot go on. In that case let them declare themselves, and let us make our arrangements accordingly. There are at present a number of English hunting countries vacant, and some of us , at any rate, would be anxious to take over one of them, if we are liable to be stopped in this country, at a moment's notice should any political difficulty arise over which we have not the smallest control. No man in his senses would contract to hunt a country for another year on such terms. Let the Sinn Fein Executive take immediate steps to find out if the majority of their supporters wish fox-hunting abolished in Ireland or not. If they do, I feel sure that Masters of Hounds will bow to that decision, and no further attempt will be made to carry it on. If, on the other hand, the majority are in favour of the sport and industry of fox-hunting still continuing, let them also bow to that decision, and cease to mix up politics with the chase. You might as well try to mix oil and water as politics and fox-hunting----Yours, etc, W.E.Grogan, Master of the Carlow Hounds. [ Note added 2010. I am not sure yet of the Sinn Fein response to this letter but judging from the following report published three weeks later in the Nationalist and Leinster Times, the Sinn Fein Executive was not in favour of allowing fox-hunting. Nationalist, 1st March 1919. Hunt Stopped in South Kildare. On Thursday the Kildare Hounds met at Davidstown, Castledermot, but were called off by the Master on the arrival of a body of men belonging to the Baltinglass, Castledermot and Moone Sinn Fein Clubs, who came for the purpose of stopping the hunt. No interview took place between any member of the Hunt Club and the Sinn Feiners. The members of the hunt then proceeded to ---?--- , where it was discovered the fox earths had been opened during the night to prevent the hunt being held. It has been reported that the Kildare Hunt will not hunt again this season.