History

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

11th or 12th Dynasty (Beni Hassan)

In ancient Egypt they had different types of hounds, not only the widely known Egyptian hound with the standing ears, as seen in Anubis images, but also big rose eared hounds

The Golden Flyboard of Thut anch Amun

This Egyptian scene, in which a hyena

is being chased by dogs,

was sketched on

limestone between

1555 and 1080 BC.

Musée du Louvre Paris

A scene from a grave in Thebes, Egypt

A Greek plate with a hunting scene showing a big hound-like dog

The saying goes that the Celts had big hounds with them when they conquered and sacked Delphi in 279 B.C

Here the hunting

Goddess Artemis

with a filly and a big hound

The Gaelic Celts came to Ireland in 3 main waves: ca. 1650 BC. the Goidels, at ab. 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 Lydney Dog, a Bronze from 365 AD

Irish/Celtic Hound as shown on a Bowl unearthed in Tara

Details of a hunting Scene on the Pictish Stone A pictish Stone engraving

of Hilton of Cadboll, app. 9th Century AD

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

Tapesty of Bayeux - 11th Century

It was said that Queen Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror, embroiderd it with her ladies,

but more likely it was Bishop Odo, the Halfbrother of William that commissioned it to be made in France

Earl Harold rides for Bosham

Big hounds in the lower Border

In the later medieval times the Wolfhound was found in many a King’s or prince’s court. A pair of them were a priceless gift from a King or Prince to another, all over Europe and as far as India.

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 for warmth.

The Norman Knight " de Burgo" (de Burgh) with his hound

End of the Hunt from "les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry"

Both images are from "le Livre de Chasse" by Gaston III "Phoebus", Comte de Foix et de Béarn 1346-1391

John II, King of France arrests Charles the Bad, ab 1350

Two paintings showing Emperor Charles V, left by Tizian, right by J.Seisenegger, 1530

his daughter, the Infanta Juana, later Queen of Portugal

Charles visits the Fugger (detail)

All these dogs are sometimes described as Great Danes, but they are not.

Look at the Sighthound heads, there is no stop between front and muzzle, no molossan treat of the jaws. The one below has cropped ears.

There were no sighthounds in this size and powerful appearance in these times, except the Wolfhound.

As for the coat, most Wolfhounds were shorthaired, so described in the Manuscripts. In any case they did not have the heavy coats of today's Wolfhounds.

Buffon1792 Irish Hound

Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Stafford

was Lord Deputy of Ireland 1632-1638

Sir Neill O'Neill (1680) was said to have made a Gift

of 2 Wolfhounds to Queen Elizabeth I

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. Cromwell's law of a prohibition to export these hounds underlines this.

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.

"The O'Toole" (Head of the Clan O'Toole)

with his 3 Wolfhounds. He was a well known figure in Dublin in his time

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.

Archibald Hamilton Rowan

Irish Patriot and Politician

1757 - 1834

He was given Oisian by the Fitzpatricks.

All his Wolfhounds go back to this Hound.

It can also be said, that all of today's

Wolfhounds can be traced back to

Rowan's lines

Oisian,

made immortal by Reinagles Painting

He stood model for the Standard of

Excellence that Capt. Graham set up

Capt. George Augustus Graham of Dursley

1833-1909

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 questionable, Adam, as that dog used for the outcross 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

Glengarry Deerhound

(bigger and heavier than our Deerhounds today)

Adam True Tibetan Mastiff

Some of Capt.Graham's Hounds

Scot Sheelah Sir Brian, which he gave to Herbert Dicksee

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