Deer in Olde Ireland

fathersymes

I was thinking recently about the Dublin suburb or Roebuck and wondering whether it is an anglicisation or perhaps there were Roe present there at one time. Anyway I found this interesting account of game in the Phoenix Park in the 17th century.

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It had been laid out before that time, and was provided, in addition to roads, with what was known as a "bare," to the construction of which part of the Vice-regal garden had been sacrificed, and with artificial water. It had also been stocked with deer, with partridges, and with pheasants.

To procure these no expense had been spared. Two officers had been sent to England to purchase and transport the deer, while another had been sent to North Wales to trap the partridges, and the Earl of Ossory himself had superintended the capture of the pheasants on his father's estate near Arklow.

The preservation of the game in the Park was then entrusted to three keepers, one of whom was dignified with the superior office of ranger. They were men of high position, and delegated their duties to subordinates, who found their task no easy one on account of the defective walls, the ravages of vermin, and the depredations of poachers.

Writing in 1668, Colonel Edward Cooke, who was one of the keepers of the Park, as well as a Commissioner under the Act of Settlement, says that the deer were escaping less frequently than they had done previously owing to care in keeping the walls repaired, but that other kinds of game had suffered greatly. Foxes, which had abounded, were nearly exterminated, but kites and poachers, who were generally soldiers from the Dublin garrison, carried off all the partridges.
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John Griffin

Where did you find this? I suspect they were referring to the current Fallow population but you never know. Could have tried anything there back then.

The preservation of the game in the Park was then entrusted to three keepers, one of whom was dignified with the superior office of ranger.

I love that part though:D:D

fathersymes

John Griffin wrote: »

Where did you find this? I suspect they were referring to the current Fallow population but you never know.

It's from here written by a chap called Ball in the early 1900's:
http://www.chaptersofdublin.com/books/ball1-6/Ball4/ball4.17.htm

The partridges of course would have been greys of which there were many in Ireland at that time. There were a few attempts at Roe introduction in Ireland the most notable being Lissadell, Roe were apparently under threat in the UK a few hundred years ago.

I did see reference from the 1700's somewhere else that the Roe population of Ireland was very small, there wasn't probably much interest in Roe for deer parks amongst the landed gentry due to their size.