164 



THE NEW BOOK OF THE DOG. 



was one of his best dogs, but he was not 

 very large, as he only stood just over thirty 

 inches at the shoulder. Banshee and Fin- 

 tragh were others, but probably the best 

 of Captain Graham's kennel was the bitch 

 Sheelah. It was not, however, until to- 

 wards the end of the past century that 



to keep his name green ; the best probably 

 being Mr. Hall's Ch. Gareth. 



Mr. F. M. Birtill in the following year 

 produced Wargrave and Ballyhooley in 

 one litter ; these two, who were sired by 

 Brian II., also becoming the parents of 

 excellent offspring. Wargrave was sent 



MR. A. a HALL'S CH. GARETH 



BY CH. DERMOT ASTORE TYNAGH. 



the most perfect dogs were bred. These 

 included O'Leary, the property of Mr. 

 Crisp, of Playford Hall. O'Leary is re- 

 sponsible for many of the best dogs of 

 the present day, and was the sire of Mrs. 

 Percy Shewell's Ch. Cotswold and the same 

 lady's Kilcullen, besides several other high- 

 class prize-winners. Then Captain Graham 

 bred Dermot Astore in 1896, and sold him 

 to Mrs. Williams, of Llanllowell Rectory, 

 near Usk. This dog carried all before him 

 for some time, but was never quite such a 

 typical dog as O'Leary. He has, however, 

 left many good dogs and bitches behind him 



by his breeder to a show at Gloucester 

 when about a year old, and was entered in 

 the catalogue to be sold for 25 ; he was 

 nearly defeating Dermot Astore, was claimed 

 by more than one would-be buyer, and was 

 consequently put up to auction, when he 

 was bought by Mr. Hood Wright for forty- 

 five guineas. Later on he became the 

 property of Mrs. Williams, who held a 

 strong hand at that time. Wargrave soon 

 became a champion, and when eighteen 

 months old bred Ch. Artara, who was prob- 

 ably the best Irish Wolfhound bitch that 

 has ever been bred. W T hen shown in con- 



