Arthur Henri Poole - Beagle Ball group, flashlight photo taken at townhall

Beagle Balls were always great sport, and I am sure that this one was no exception. Finding the location for this one may not be too difficult, but which Beagles and from where might be a different matter. Following beagles demands a high level of fitness and persistence, and these people look like they participate on a regular basis. Not one of them looks overweight. Bring back the beagles I say, jolly good show!..The consensus is that this image was taken at Waterford's town hall, and captured a tradition that continued at least into the 1940s. By that time, as per this entry on the Visit Waterford website ( www.visitwaterford.com/things-to-do/stories/point-of-interest/GoseetheTopoftheTown.php ) , the physicality of a group of ball-goers was put to use in freeing some of those affected by a building collapse and landslide. While 9 of their city-men did not survive, we salute the efforts of the beaglers ( Beagling ) !...Photographer: A. H. Poole. .Collection: Poole Photographic Studio, Waterford ( http://catalogue.nli.ie/Search/Results?lookfor=A.H.+Poole&type=Author&sort=title&view=grid ) . .Date: c.15 February 1935. .NLI Ref: POOLEWP 4073 ( vtls000594719 ) . .You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie ( http://catalogue.nli.ie )