The Hound of Kings - the King of Hounds

The origins of the Irish Wolfhound go back very far, the indications vary between 3000 - 5000 years-

Very early findings of bones in Ireland, Wales and  England prove the existence of big hounds already before the arrival of the first Celtic tribes.

The oldest find was a crane from the Neopleisticene (8000-7000 BC) found in Wales.

A supposition as to the origins is also that  an early ancestor of the Persian Hound (Saluki) may have  had a part

in it, as some pre-celtic tribes supposedly came from Scythia (Iran/Turkey) and brought their hounds along through Europe and to Ireland.

1840,  in Dunshaughlin, near Dublin, skeletons and cranes dated to the Neolithic age were unearthed; the size of

these dogs in relation crane/body must have been around 75 cm. There were also further findings from this age in the south of the island. It is probable that the first settlers that have come to the then waste island, also brought their hounds along for hunting and protection.

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The Gaelic Celts came to Ireland in 3 main waves: ca. 1650 BC. the Goidels,at 800 BC the Picts and the Brithons

at about 500 BC. During the great migration those tribes had moved with others through Asia Minor and Europe

and brought their big hounds, used for war and hunting, with them. Those hounds must have been inbred with

the native dogs, which resulted in the archetype of the Irish Wolfdog, Mil-Cu.The word Cu for Dog was only used

for these hounds. That many heroes from the Irish tales set the Cu in front of their names shows the esteem

and respect in which the hounds were held.

These Hounds were thought to have human wits. They were only slightly lower in the hierarchy than humans, recognized friend or foe of their masters and in Gaelic tales and Songs they have their fair share in fame.

For a good hound a price of whole cattle herds were paid and heavy penalties waited for the person who hurt, crippled or killed such a dog.

Setanta, who killed the Hound of the smith or king had to take the place of the hound and serve the way as the hound would have done and was therefore called Cu-chulainn. Cu means hound, specifically the wolfhound. Many of the heros of the Gaelic Celts put the syllable before their name, which shows the high esteem of the hounds. These hounds were companions for hunting, but also for war. they were trained to pull down the enemy warriors from their chariots. Only Kings and Bards could own them.

In the later medieval times the Wolfhound was found in many a King’s or prince’s court. We know the story of Llewellyn, Prince of North Wales who got his faithful Gelert as a gift from King John, as he married the king's natural daughter Joan. Also King Richard III of England is said to have had a Wolfhound as companion. The Wolfhound was a precious gift among princes to gain friendship or maintain it. These hounds did not live in the stables as the other hunting dogs did, but in the living quarters of their masters, beside them at table and very often even slept in their beds to give warmth.

From the Renaissance until the 18th century the breed flourished, but the disappearance of the giant Elan and the wolves brought the breeding numbers low. The pauperisation of the country and the decimation of the Irish Gentry by Cromwell’s rule gave it the rest.

Carlos V by Tizian   Sir Neill O'Neill (1680) was said to have made a Gift of 2 Wolfhounds to Queen Elizabeth I     Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Stafford was Lord Deputy of Ireland 1632-1638

Only some old families and some Clan Chiefs succeeded somehow in spite of the adverse circumstances to keep some Wolfhounds. Some of those few are the ancestors of  today’s Irish Wolfhounds.

One of these Irish Gentlemen was  Hamilton Rowan. He lived over 40 yrs with Irish Wolfhounds. His hounds' line go back to Oisian, the Wolfdog that Reinagle immortalized in his picture.

After H. Rowan’s death Mr Carter of Loughlinstown House, Bray continued his line. H.D. Richardson, Mr. A.W. Baker of Ballytobin Castle and Sir John Power of Kilfane kept Wolfhounds from these old lines and bred in a small way. But the inbreeding that without fail has occurred caused a loss of size. Also there was always the distemper to be reckoned with to decimate the numbers, as in theses times there was no vaccine or remedy.

In 1859, when Capt. G.A. Graham of Dursley, a Scotsman and passionate dog person decided with some friends to revive and save the breed, only few purebred Irish Wolfhounds were left.

He bred with some of those and crossed them with Scottish Deerhounds. Deerhounds are closely related to the Wolfhound, as once it was the same breed and brought over to Scotland by the the Celts (Scotes) settling in Scotland. There it was bred lighter and swifter to keep up with the  different game. Also in the times of Capt. Graham the difference between the two breeds was only slight and not as distinct as today.

The Glengarry-Deerhounds, he used were at the time very big, so with them he could not only strengthen the type, but also succeeded in increasing the size, which had diminished in the previous generations. Also there was a Great Dane cross breeding to get substance and strength. That there was one with a Tibetan Mastiff seems to be a myth, Adam as that dog was called, was bought on a Market in Leadenhall under the label Tibetan Mastiff as he looked vaguely like one. But his picture shows big differences to the true Mastiff and he looks rather like an unkempt Wolfhound or one of mixed blood, see  below.

After many years and investment of considerable money, around 1880 the breed was sound again and the Irish Wolfhound was restored to his old splendour . Let’s hope that our and the following generations have enough responsibility to safeguard the breed and will keep it safe from all fashionable craze true to the Standard that  Capt. Graham left us.

ISV