Origin and Development

The Irish Terrier originates - as his name already indicates - from Ireland. In Ireland there are four breeds that distinctively differ from the terrier breeds of the Continent as well as England. Following the old traditions the Irish Terrier seems to be the oldest breed of the Irish terrier breeds. However, written proofs are rare and thus it cannot be proved definitely and for sure.

What is known on the origin of this breed lies in the mists of the past as with most of the other terrier breeds. But one fact seems to be certain; one of his ancestors was the wire-haired Black-and-Tan Terrier, nowadays no longer existing. It may very well be assumed that the Irish Terrier we know today derives from breed lines of the north of Ireland.

In the Club for Terriers (Klub fuer Terrier) the Irish Terrier may recall on a long history. Already in the first Breed Book of the Club Irish Terriers had been registered.

His career in shows began around the year 1870, and very soon he was well known even beyond the borders of Irelands becoming one of the most attractive and requested dogs for and in exhibitions of that time. The highest number of entries ever noted had been achieved in London in 1900 stating more than 350 Irish Terriers. Already then very much money had been paid for a winning dog, e.g. the breeder of Champion Bolton Woods Mixer got 500 pounds when sold the dog or Champion Straight Tip changed owners for more than 400 pounds. That are quite considerable amounts taking into account the former rate of exchange.

This rapid development had been favoured by the founding of the "Irish Terrier Club" on March 31st, 1879. A great merit of this Club is the prohibition of cropping for all dog races, being set up by the Kennel Club on demand of the ITC. It purports no dog having cropped ears born after December 31st, 1889, to be permitted to attend any Kennel Club Show. That too is why you will find dogs having cropped ears and evidently shorter tails on older pictures, as is with e.g. Killiney Boy and CH Erin, both ancestors of our today's Irish Terriers

Killiney Boy had been bred by Mr. Burke from Dublin and later on been sold to Mr. Waterhouse, where he lived till he died. Though he won some first places he had great influence on the breed due to his being a great hereditor. His parents were called Jack and Jess, nobody knows where they derived from. As the ancestress of our present Irish you have to denote CH Erin, a highly decorated bitch winning many rewards. On her first show in Dublin she was sold by an unknown breeder of Ballymena, District of Antrim, to Mr W. Graham, known as the "Irish Ambassador". Out of the mating of the two dogs and their progeny the breed of the Irish Terrier came off, not yet having the elegance we know today, but the first steps had been taken. The great influence these two dogs have had at that time shows the pedigree of the male Belfast Rufus, published in a book on Irish Terriers by Mr F.M. Jowett edited in 1906: The pedigree showing eight generations Killiney Boy is mentioned by 28 times and CH Erin by 25 times. From these two dogs a breed derives belonging to the soundest and sturdiest breeds.