, 1738 by
Philip Reinagle, 1804
Pre-19th century In 391, there is a reference to large dogs by
Quintus Aurelius Symmachus, a
Roman consul who got seven "
canes Scotici" as a gift to be used for fighting lions and bears, and who wrote "all Rome viewed (them) with wonder".
Scoti is a
Latin name for the
Gaels (ancient Irish). Dansey, the early 19th century translator of the first complete version of
Arrian's work in English,
On Coursing, suggested the Irish and Scottish "greyhounds" were derived from the same ancestor, the
vertragus, and had expanded with the Scoti from Ireland across the Western Isles and into what is today Scotland. Wolfhounds were used as hunting dogs by the Gaels, who called them
Cú Faoil ( , composed of the elements "hound" and "wolf", i.e. "wolfhound"). Dogs are mentioned as
cú in Irish laws and literature dating from the sixth century or, in the case of the
Sagas, from the
old Irish period, AD 600–900.
Cú Chulainn, a mythical warrior whose name means "hound of Culann", is supposed to have gained this name as a child when he slew the ferocious guard dog of Culann. As recompense he offered himself as a replacement. In his
Historie of Ireland, written in 1571,
Edmund Campion gives a description of the hounds used for hunting wolves in the
Dublin and Wicklow mountains. He says: "They (the Irish) are not without wolves and
greyhounds to hunt them, bigger of bone and limb than a
colt". Due to their popularity overseas many were exported to European royal houses leaving numbers in Ireland depleted. This led to a declaration by
Oliver Cromwell being published in
Kilkenny on 27 April 1652 to ensure that sufficient numbers remained to control the wolf population. References to the Irish Wolfhound in the 18th century tell of its great size, strength and greyhound shape as well as its scarcity. Writing in 1790,
Thomas Bewick described it as the largest and most beautiful of the dog kind; about 36 inches high, generally of a white or cinnamon colour, somewhat like the Greyhound but more robust. He said that their aspect was mild, disposition peaceful, and strength so great that in combat the Mastiff or Bulldog was far from being an equal to them. It is thought to have been killed at Myshall, on the slopes of
Mount Leinster, by a pack of wolfdogs kept by a Mr Watson of Ballydarton. The wolfhounds that remained in the hands of a few families, who were mainly descendants of the old Irish chieftains, were now symbols of status rather than used as hunters, and these were said to be the last of their race.
Thomas Pennant (1726–1798) reported that he could find no more than three wolfdogs when he visited Ireland. At the 1836 meeting of the
Geological Society of Dublin,
John Scouler presented a paper titled "Notices of Animals which have disappeared from Ireland", including mention of the wolfdog.
Modern wolfhound Captain
George Augustus Graham (1833–1909), of Rednock House, Dursley,
Gloucestershire, was responsible for reviving the Irish wolfhound breed. He stated that he could not find the breed "in its original integrity" to work with: In Ireland, Graham acquired "Faust" of
Kilfane and "Old Donagh" of Ballytobin,
County Kilkenny; these were the respective progenitors of Graham's breeding program and said to descend from original Irish wolfhound strains. Based on the writings of others, he had concluded that the
Scottish Deerhound and
Great Dane were derived earlier from the wolfhound. As a result, said breeds were heavily emphasized in his breeding program. In 1885, Captain Graham founded the Irish Wolfhound Club, and the Breed Standard of Points to establish and agree the ideal to which breeders should aspire. In 1902, the Irish Wolfhound was declared the regimental mascot of the
Irish Guards. File:2 shilling Ireland dog licence stamp.jpg|Nineteenth-century dog-licence stamp File:WWI Irish recruiting poster LOC cph.3g10979.jpg|Recruitment poster, 1915 File:Irish Guards' Mascot - Leitrim Boy (cropped).jpg|Leitrim Boy, mascot of the Irish Guards, at
Waterford Barracks, 1917 File:Mahony Old.jpg|
The O'Mahony of Kerry, 1930 File:Wolfhound mascot wb.jpg|Irish Guards, mascot in parade dress
DNA analysis Genomic analysis indicates that although there has been some DNA sharing between the Irish wolfhound with the Deerhound,
Whippet, and Greyhound, there has been significant sharing of DNA between the Irish Wolfhound and the Great Dane. One writer has stated that for the Irish Wolfhound, "the Great Dane appearance is strongly marked too prominently before the 20th Century". == Characteristics ==