Did you know that there was an attempt to establish the Kerry Blue Terrier as Ireland's national dog breed?
>Be Michael CollinsOnce the youngest child of a farming family in Cork, now the Director of Intelligence for the IRA and de-facto leader of the Irish War of Independence. At one stage among the most wanted men in the British Empire, Collins evaded capture by running the war from a vast network of safehouses in Dublin-from which he planned Ireland's intelligence war against Britain.>Dublin, 1920The seat of the British Government in Ireland, and the location of the underground revolutionary government fighting to remove them. It was host to many British military and political officials, several of whom were tasked specifically with finding and apprehending (or killing) Collins.>The Kerry BlueFirst documented in the mid 19th Century, it was a dog used both for hunting (rats, rabbits, foxes, etc) but also for other agricultural jobs involving livestock. Collins owned a Kerry Blue, and named it "Convict 224.">Convict 224?There are many theories around the name's origin, most assuming it refers to Collins' time in Frognarch prison camp for his role in the 1916 Easter Rebellion in Ireland.>The 120 Dublin Blue Terrier ClubWith many in Ireland showing an aversion to England, the "English Kennel Club" was shunned in favour of the Dublin Blue Terrier Club (DBTC), which became popular for both separatists and loyalists. The first show in 1920 happened to share a date with Michael Collins' birthday-and he attended. Convict 224 won first place-beating British Captain Wyndham Quinn. Also in attendance was Sir James McMahon-the British Under Secretary for Ireland-completely unaware that the winner was Collins, who at the time had a bounty of £10,000.>A National Dog BreedCollins hoped to see the Kerry Blue become Ireland's national dog-rather than the more obvious Irish Wolfhound, which in his view had become too associated with the British Army to fit the model for a national breed.
Collins loved dogs a great deal; these are his wolf patterned slippers.Imagine getting assassinated by the IRA and the guy who ordered it is sat at home by the fire with his feet up in his fancy wolf slippers.
I always liked Kerry Blues because they remind me of the very distinctive hairstyle found in Gaelic Ireland, known as the glib; where the hair the back was kept shaved/short whilst the top and front was grown long.
>>18530253Some sources say Normans introduce glib
>>18530415Interesting, which ones? I've only ever seen it referenced by sources describing it as distinctively Irish, I think I remember a Scottish source referring to certain highland scots dressing/wearing their hair in "the irish style" but I'd not be surprised if some of the later FitzGerald troops wound up resembling typical Gaelic soldiers.
>>18530251cute
I like doggies
>>18530247I can see why
