CHAPTER XL

THE IRISH TERRIER

It is certain that during the past two decades no breed of dog has attained greater popularity than the Irish Terrier, and a visit to any of our leading shows will be convincing proof of this, for in point of number he only plays second fiddle to his white relation the Fox-terrier, which has been a general favourite in England for generations past. The reason is not far to seek. Is it not a firm of soap-makers who say of their soap, "Once used, always used"? Surely it would be difficult to find more appropriate words for the Irish Terrier. His genial disposition, all round merit for sport, racy outline, eyes that are teeming with kindness and intelligence peeping from underneath his shaggy old eyebrows, and a pin-wire, rusty horseshoe-coloured jacket that covers one of the biggest hearts that ever beat in a canine body, must command admiration from all who love a truly good, high-couraged Terrier.

It is a circumstance much to be regretted that the true origin of this grand Terrier has never come to light, and at this distant date in all probability it never will. We can therefore only accept the gleanings of those who have used their best efforts to solve the problem.

Mr. G. R. Krehl, the English Vice-President of the Irish Terrier Club, who has done so much this side of St. George's Channel to popularise Irish Terriers, in writing for Mr. Vero Shaw's book thus speaks of the breed :

"The Irish Terrier is a true and distinct breed indigenous to Ireland, and no man can trace its origin, which is lost in antiquity. Mr. Ridgway, of Waterford, whose name is familiar in Irish Terrier circles from having drawn up the first code of points, states that they have been known to Ireland as long as that country has been an island, added to which there is the fact that there exist old manuscripts in Irish mentioning the breed at a very remote period. In old pictures representing scenes of Irish life an Irish Terrier or two are often to be descried.

Ballymena and County Wicklow may almost claim to be the birthplace of the breed. Most of the best specimens hail from Ballymena and the neighbourhood, where Mr. Thomas Erwin, of Irish Setter fame, boasts an extensive experience of this breed, and has always kept a few of the right old working sort for sporting purposes; and in County Wicklow, Mr. Merry says, it is well known that the pure breed of Irish Terriers has been carefully kept distinct and highly prized for more than a century. Mr. E. F. Despard, whose name is well known in Irish Terrier circles as a very successful breeder and exhibitor, claims an acquaintance of over forty years with the breed. Mr. George Jamison, too, has known and kept them many years, and up till a little while ago had won more prizes than all the rest of the breeders put together. These proofs of the age of the breed are mentioned to show those who have lately come to admire them that it is not a made-up, composite, or mushroom breed. They are part of Ireland's national economy, and are worthily embodied in the sportsman's toast: 'Irish women, Irish horses, and Irish dogs' (which means, Irish Terriers, Irish Setters, and Irish Spaniels).

One's first acquaintance with the Irish Terrier is apt to be disappointing (except to a really doggy terrier man). It may be because there is no meretricious flash about them; but there is that about them which you learn to like; they grow upon you. They supply the want so often expressed for a smart-looking dog with something in him. There is that about their rough-and-ready appearance that can only be described as genuine Terrier (or more emphatically Tarrier) character. They are facile princeps the sportsman's Terrier, and having never yet been made Fashion's darlings, they retain in all its purity their instinctive love of hard work. Their characters do not suit them for ladies' pets, but render them the best dogs out for the man that loves his gun and quiet sport."

At a later date Mr. Hugh Dalziel, writing of the breed, discredits its existence something over thirty years ago, and referring to Mr. Ridgway's letter anent the age and purity of the breed at a very remote date, says: "Surely man never yet 'grounded his faith' on a more slender basis." The patriarch Job, in an old manuscript written in a language older than Irish, refers to the "dogs of his flock"; so when his descendants take to Sheepdog showing, they may ground their faith" in the antiquity and purity of their Collies by Mr. Ridgway's example, and with as much logical and historical support.

Mr. Dalziel further adds that it is not usual to speak of a date only a score or so of years back as "antiquity," but that is really the date when the origin of the Irish Terrier is lost and

found, and by way of winding up says: "When we consider how much we owe to the Irish in dogs, the Wolfhound, the Greyhound, the Spaniel, the Setter, we may readily, and without strain of faith, believe that such a sporting race kept a 'breed of Terriers also,' but to ask us to believe that the show dogs of the present day are purely descended from the Terriers of the 'Long-boat' men is rather too much."

This is quoted to show the difference in opinion that exists as to the real origin of the Irish Terrier.

Probably the show specimens of the present day are not absolutely pure descendants of the Irish Terrier as known in Ireland forty years ago; but there is certainly a big percentage of that blood in their composition, and were proof of this required, it could be forthcoming over and over again. Mr. Dalziel was doubtless actuated by the purest motives in all that he said; but had he dived deeper into the subject, he certainly would have found that the breed did exist in Ireland years and numbers of years prior to its advent on the show-bench in either that country or our own, and might then have deemed it prudent to be less caustic in his remarks, and not quite so hard on a breed that so many have come to admire, and which without flattery may be considered one of the best of present-day Terriers.

The writer holds no brief for Mr. Krehl or any one else, but he must say, in fairness to those who have expressed opinions adverse to those of Mr. Hugh Dalziel, that he has at some considerable trouble made personal inquiries in almost every part of the land of the shamrock, from Londonderry in the north to Limerick and Waterford in the south, and from Dublin in the east to Galway in the west, and has it on unimpeachable authority that the breed has been well known and kept in various parts of Ireland as long as the oldest living man can remember. A personal friend of the writer in County Wicklow, whose veracity may be vouched for, told him many years ago that he had kept the breed for upwards of thirty years. And this is typical of many assurances from men whose statements are beyond suspicion, which might reasonably be accepted as sufficient proof that the Irish Terrier is not quite of the mushroom-like growth that Mr. Dalziel would have us believe.

Although good specimens were known in Ireland long before dog shows were in existence, it must not be taken for granted that collectively they were of the high class we are so accustomed to see now. A change has naturally come about with this, as with many other breeds that have been carefully bred for exhibition for thirty years. They were rather a scratch lot, or perhaps more correctly described as bad specimens of the present type. They were dogs that in many cases were light in colour, and had

coats sufficiently long to kink or curl, that were woolly in texture, while they varied in weight from between 16lb. to 40lb. This can readily be understood when it is remembered that there were no shows or other inducements to improve the breed. So long as Pat would catch a rabbit, retrieve a wounded bird, watch the house at night, and give any intruding tyke (be he little or big) a rough ten minutes if required, he answered all practical purposes for his owner.

Irish Terriers were first exhibited at Dublin in 1873, and the breed's subsequent successful career is almost wholly due to the zeal and energy of the pioneers, Messrs. Morton, Erwin, Ridgway, Montgomery, Jamison, Corbie Smith, Dr. Marks, Dr. Carey (the present Hon. Sec. of the Irish Terrier Club), Mr. G. R. Krehl, Mr. W. Graham, and a few others. These gentlemen had the uphill part of the business to do in bringing the breed to the front. Many were the ideas and opinions at that date as to what was a typical Irish Terrier. Consequently at shows where the breed was represented, one saw a very mixed lot. And the judging, too, was most erratic. First one dog would get the premier award, then another, and eventually both were headed by a specimen that had no right to be in the class. This naturally caused the greatest dissatisfaction to exhibitors, and finally in 1879 resulted in a club being formed, and a description of the breed drawn up. Later on specialist judges were appointed, and this did wonders in healing the breach brought about by previous bad judging, and cemented the bonds of friendship between the English and the Irish contingents.

From that time the popularity of the breed was assured, and was not long in reaching its zenith. Having a standard to breed to, the merest novice had a guide, and a direct incentive to try his luck, and at the present time the chance of a really good dog at any show being left in the cold is reduced to a minimum. The Irish Terrier has not had the benefit of a pretty face and genteel appearance to help him, but has won his way to the fore on sterling merit.

It is pleasing to record that our beloved King Edward VII., who, as every one knows, is one of the finest sportsmen in the world, has added an Irish Terrier to his famous kennels. This augurs well for the breed, and as an Englishman is nothing if not fashionable and patriotic, we may in the near future reasonably expect to find many more of his Majesty's loyal subjects going in for a "Dare-devil."

Mr. Vero Shaw in his book says that at Belfast, in June, 1878, Mr. Despard's Tanner (afterwards first, Birmingham), took first, second going to old Sport, and third to Mr. W. Graham's Sporter. In bitches Kate was first and Moya Doolan second. At New

townards, in September the same year, the opinions of experts were encouraging. The eye had not the same chance of being offended at shows as in former years, the majority of the weeds having disappeared. Mr. Graham won, with Sporter, the champion cup for best dog or bitch exhibited. In open dogs Parnell and Tanner II. were first and second respectively. In the bitches Moya Doolan beat Colleen Dhas.

At Birmingham, in December, 1878, Tanner was first and Fly second. Fly had no right to her place, and it was characteristic of the judging that Spuds was quite passed over.

In December, 1878, at the Alexandra Palace, Fly (the secondprize winner at Birmingham) was first, and Spuds second, Paddy II. commended, and Moya Doolan not noticed. This erratic judging caused the dissatisfaction already alluded to, and at the Irish Kennel Club Show in April, 1879, at Dublin, Spuds and Moya Doolan were first and second in champion class. Tanner II. and Paddy II. were respectively first and second in open dogs; and Sting, still a puppy, made her first appearance, and won in open bitches, beating Rags and Kathleen. Gaelic was very highly commended, this being his first appearance. At the Alexandra Palace

in July, 1879, Gaelic was put over Sporter and Erin, and a new bitch over Moya Doolan.

It was about this time that Mr. G. R. Krehl put his heart and soul into the Fancy, and this gentleman can honestly claim to have been instrumental in starting the breed in this country. By his purchase of Belle, Splinter, Sporter, Pagan II., and other good dogs, he founded a famous kennel, and a glance at the pedigree of many of the best dogs of the present day will reveal the fact that they contain not a little of the blood of his famous dogs. In the writer's humble opinion Pagan II. was a little too much of the horse-chestnut colour, but in every other respect he was absolutely the best Irishman he had seen up to that time, and he always regretted not using him to his bitch Grovelands Moya, to be referred to later on as having killed a hedgehog smothered with cayenne. This was a cropped bitch, a trifle light in colour, but a rare sort, and was one of a brace purchased in County Wicklow by Mr. Wickens, of Hurst, for £70. This was the time when she was second to Pagan at the Henley Show, and when Mr. Barnett's Bogie Rattler was a puppy, and exhibited for the first time.

Mr. Barnett and his famous dogs are too well known to need mentioning here, except to say that he has been one of the most successful breeders, exhibitors, and judges in England for nearly twenty years. The writer always thought Mr. Barnett's Bachelor was lucky to become a champion, as there was not enough daylight under his body. The writer does like to see an Irish Terrier up on his legs, but not stilty, and, if he is not mistaken, he has seen far