Lewis in a “journal newspaper” in 1887. These dogs were seen at a dog show in the southern part of County Kerry. This is also the earliest reported dog show in which Kerrys appeared. But it was not until after the formation of the Irish Republic that Kerrys began to appear in shows throughout Ireland, encouraged in part by their association with Gener- al Michael Collins, “The Big Fella,” who was an early Kerry owner and exhibitor and whose name and story is so intrinsi- cally entwined with the creation of the Republic. In 1921, Michael Collins spon- sored an Act of the Oireachtas in the Dail Eireann (Irish Parliament) to recog- nize the Irish Blue (or Kerry Blue) as the National Dog of Ireland. However, with the death of General Collins, the initia- tive died as well. “THESE DOGS WERE SEEN AT A DOG SHOW IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF COUNTY KERRY. THIS IS ALSO THE EARLIEST REPORTED
DOG SHOW IN WHICH KERRYS APPEARED.”
S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , J ANUARY 2019 • 337
Powered by FlippingBook