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An ancient breed of great antiquity.
| Could this be an ancestor of the Irish Wolfhound? |
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| Hunting Scene Enktomi, Cyprus 1100BC. See large hound above^ |
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There are many theories of where the Irish Wolfhound originated from. Certainly they were bred
by ancient Celts who called them the Cu.(meaning hound) Perhaps the continental
Celts of Europe brought their hounds to Ireland sometime between 2500 B.C. and 1500 B.C. The Celts used their hounds
in war, and also for hunting Stags and killing wolves. When the Celts sacked the Temple at
Delphi, Greece in 600 BC, a Greek survivor was impressed enough to leave an account of the huge dogs who fought alongside
the Celtic warriors. We also know they were being bred in Ireland before the time of Christ.
Julius Caesar wrote about them in the "Gallic Wars". In 391 A.D., the breed was brought to ancient Rome, and the
first authentic mention of it was by the Roman Consul, Quintus Aurelius Symmachus, who received seven Wolfhounds as a gift
when "All Rome viewed them with wonder and fancied they must have been brought hither in iron cages."
Horribly, the
dogs were also brought to fight and die for the entertainment of the crowds in the Gladiatorial Combats.
After Caesar defeated the Celts of Gaul, the Celts were pushed west and the Cu was lost from
Continental Europe. Fortunately the Romans never invaded Ireland and the Celts there continued to breed their hounds. After
the fall of the Roman Empire and the return of the Roman Armies from Britain to Rome, the Celts of Ireland invaded Scotland
and Wales. Their great hounds came with them and the breed began to spread. During the Dark Ages, when the Vikings plundered
the British Isles, a story was written called "The Icelandic Saga of Nial” by The Norsmen. “I will give thee a
dog which I got in Ireland. He is huge of limb, and for a follower equal to an able man. Moreover, he hath a man’s wit
and will bark at thine enemies but never at thy friends. And he will see by each man’s face whether he be ill or well
disposed to thee. And he will lay down his life for thee.” The story is long and detailed, and a group of invaders attacks
the Vikings. They tried to kill the Wolfhound before he could fight them off. Though the great hound lost his life, he was
able to alert his master by his sorrowful wails, and saved the village.
| On the chase! |
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| Click on the picture to learn more about Round Houses. |
| Ancient Hound Close Up |
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| Modern Irish Wolfhound |
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| An ancient Celtic Farm |
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| Arial view of Butser Ancient Farm in England. |
| Reconstruction of an Iron Age Celtic Round House. |
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| Click on the picture to see more ancient houses and buildings. |
| Irish Wolfhounds hunted and killed wolves. |
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| Trampus Lord Connor 1996-2003 |
The fame of the ancient Wolfhounds spread far and wide. The Nobility were the only people allowed to own
a Wolfhound. They became very sought after by Kings and Nobles all over the World. However, so many were given to the
noble families of Europe that by 1652 a declaration was issued by Oliver Cromwell banning exportation of these dogs.
By the time the great famine hit Ireland in 1845 the Irish Wolfhound sat on the brink of extinction.
Around 1850 a Scottish officer of the British Army, Captain George Augustus Graham, took an
interest in the breed and decided to revive the almost extinct breed. He obtained descendants of a dog reported to be the
last true example of the Irish Wolfhound. Captain Graham took these descendants and bred them with Glengarry Deerhounds,
occasional outcrosses to Greyhounds, Mastiffs, Great Danes and other dogs that he believed were related to the breed. He
eventually did create a dog that bred true to type. Through his carefull outcrossing and selective breeding he reconstructed
the Irish Wolfhound and these are the Wolfhounds that exist today. If it were not for Captain Graham the world would have
lost it's most magnificent breed. Some people believe that the ancient Wolfhound was the original dog that Neolithic
stone aged man befriended in Ireland and from them sprang some of our modern dog breeds. Whether dog breeds came
out of wolves or prehistoric wild canines depends on the breed, and is a debate that requires more archaeology to confirm;
we may never know. We can be certain that the Irish Wolfhound has hunted along side man for thousands of years.
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| Cian the Comedian |
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Castell Henllys. A wonderful website about Iron Age hill forts and life among the Celts of Britain.
Dedicated to the magnificent Irish Wolfhound. Most noble of breeds, so loyal and regal,
and a most wonderful companion.
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