94 
Shorthorns  in  Scotland  and  Ireland. 
Shorthorn  hulls  was  ever  after  continued.  The  latter  was  one  of  the  most 
successful  exhibitors  of  cattle  at  the  shows  in  Co.  Wexford. 
Mr.  John  Brownrigg,  Moneylawn,  Co.  Wexford,  obtained  through  his 
brother  William,  who  was  agent  for  Mr.  La  Touche,  the  bull  “ Planet  ” (1325), 
a grandson  of  the  famous  “ Comet”  (155)  ; and  so  highly  was  he  estimated 
as  a stock-getter,  that  he  was  used  till  his  horns  almost  dropped  off.  Mr.  It. 
Dowse  saw  “ Planet  ” when  twelve  years  old,  and  described  him  as  then 
showing  “ a magnificent  outline  of  an  old  bull.”  Mr.  Brownrigg  also 
obtained  some  Shorthorn  females  from  Mr.  La  Touche,  and  from  these  and 
others  he  reared  an  excellent  stock  of  well-bred  Shorthorns,  although  he  did 
not  enter  them  in  any  Herd-book.  After  “ Planet,”  Mr.  Brownrigg  used 
Mason’s  “ Ploughboy  ” (4239),  which  was  got  by  “ Monarch  ” (2324),  out  of 
Mr.  Adamson’s  No.  8,  purchased  by  Mr.  Davison  at  the  Chilton  sale  in  1829 
for  40  guineas.  This  was  a bull  of  immense  size,  and  had  a wonderful  coat  of 
hair.  In  1834  or  1835  a sale  was  held  at  Moneylawn,  when  Mr.  Robert 
Chaloner,  agent  for  Earl  Fitzwilliam,  purchased  some  heifers,  with  which  the 
long-established  herd  at  Coollattin  was  commenced.  Mr.  Brownrigg  continued 
Shorthorn  breeding  for  some  time  after.  The  last  of  his  stock  were  dispersed 
in  1852. 
The  Coollattin  herd,  thus  founded  more  than  half  a century  ago,  was  main- 
tained till  1881,  when  all  excepting  a few  animals,  retained  as  the  nucleus  of 
a fresh  breed,  were  dispersed.  Probably  no  herd  in  Ireland  has  exercised  a 
greater  or  more  directly  visible  influence  in  the  improvement  of  the  general 
cattle-stock  than  that  so  long  kept  at  Coollattin.  The  late  Earl  Fitzwilliam, 
ever  active  in  philanthropic  work,  established  the  herd  for  the  sole  purpose 
of  providing  means  for  the  improvement  of  the  cattle  on  his  estates  and  in 
the  surrounding  districts.  The  present  Earl,  who  has  manifested  a keen 
interest  in  Shorthorn  breeding,  foresaw  the  benefit  the  country  would  derive 
from  a plentiful  supply  of  high-class  pure-bred  Shorthorn  bulls.  Taking 
up  heartily  the  good  work  begun  by  his  father,  he  devoted  much  attention  to 
the  enlarging  of  his  herd  and  the  advancing  of  its  character  and  usefulness. 
The  females  were  of  good  well-formed  sorts,  and  no  expense  was  spared  in 
procuring  sires,  which  were  always  of  choice  blood  as  well  as  of  high  indi- 
vidual merit,  the  later  bulls  having  been  rich  in  Booth  blood.  Mr.  Robert 
Murray,  who  so  successfully  managed  the  herd  for  the  long  period  of  thirty- 
five  years,  made  several  important  selections  of  females  in  England,  and  these 
as  well  as  the  Irish  purchases  produced  good  stock.  An  annual  sale  of 
young  stock  was  commenced  at  Coollattin  in  1857,  and  was  continued  till  the 
herd  was  dispersed.  In  all,  nearly  500  young  bulls  have  been  sold  from 
Coollattin.  The  great  majority  of  these  have  been  employed  in  the  im- 
provement of  the  general  cattle-stock  throughout  Ireland,  chiefly  in  the 
counties  of  Wicklow,  Wexford,  Carlow,  and  Dublin. 
In  1837  the  late  Earl  of  Courtown,  Courtown  House,  Gorey,  Co.  Wex- 
ford, imported  through  Mr.  Wetherell  the  bull  “Priam”  (4758),  and  a few 
cows  and  heifers,  from  a sale  held  by  Mr.  Denton,  near  Carlisle.  From  these 
many  useful  animals  were  raised.  The  Courtown  herd  is  still  maintained, 
and  has  done  much  good  in  the  country.  Two  years  later,  Mr.  Francis  Davis, 
of  Enniskerry,  obtained  from  Mr.  Baker  Greenwell,  of  Barmpton,  the  bull 
“Wellington”  (5626),  alias  “The  Duke”  (20,951),  along  with  two  heifers. 
Mr.  Davis  did  not  form  a herd  ; but  his  bull  “ Wellington,”  let  at  a fee  of  10s. 
per  cow,  made  a wonderful  impression  upon  the  cattle  of  the  district.  After 
having  been  employed  for  two  or  three  years  in  this  way,  “ Wellington  ” was 
sold  to  Mr.  Brownrigg,  and  ultimately  went  to  Coollattin,  where  he  was  used 
for  some  time  with  great  good  effect. 
In  1847  Mr.  Samuel  Armstrong  founded  his  well-known  “Vinegar  Hill” 
herd,  by  the  selection  of  a few  cows  in  the  Gorey  district,  tracing  from  such 
