Old Terrier Clubs.

[neil cooney 10,416]

Since it's the quiet time o year I thought I'd mention something I bumped into recently.

 

I'm reading a book at the minute about the next village to the one I grew up in , it's called "Olden Times in Garristown."

Garristown is in North County Dublin and is a proper country village with a big hunting tradition and it's biggest claim to fame is that the best steeple chaser of them all "Arkle" was born and trained nearby. The famous racing dynasty The Carberry's are also Garristown folk.

On page 105 there's an old add,

................................................................................................................................................................................................

 

GRALLAGH TERRIER COURSING CLUB.

 

The above will hold their annual coursing meeting on Sunday 30th September and 14th October 1923 when the following stakes will be decided.

THE GRALLAGH STAKES for terriers 16lbs and under. Entry fee 3s.

 

THE SPRINGHILL STAKES for terriers 17lbs and over. Entry fee 3s.

 

THE KNOCK STAKES for lurchers. Entry fee 3s.

 

Entries close with secretary on 27 Sept.

No entries received without fee - C. Browne, Ashgrove, Oldtown, Co. Dublin.

........................................................................................................................................................................

 

What were they coursing ? Also I wouldn't have thought that in 1923 the word "Lurcher" was even used in Ireland.

Grallagh is a townland just outside Garristown as are Springhill and Knock.

I know that in the 40s there was a working terrier club in Garristown as I've seen photos of them sitting with their terriers on the steps of the local Chapel and I also spoke to a few old timers in the 80s who told me of their digging back in the 40s, 50s and 60s and the use of strongdogs too, including a few Bull Terriers.

There's another townland near Garristown where the biggest Badger Sette I know is. Over 20 years ago the farmer at the time (RIP) told me of a WTC that came out of Dublin to hold a trials at this Sette. It was called the Sunnyvale WTC. He said the diggers spent hours digging to 2 Jack Russells and got them at 8 or 9 feet.

As soon as the 2 sounders were lifted a line of Strongdogs was formed to be tested on the Badger. The line of Strongdog he described to me was fairly long and the farmer even called them Wheatens and Staffs.

Anyways he told me that the first strongdog was placed in the dig to work the badger but when the handler looked in, no badger !!!!!!

He was never in a stop end and the trial was abandoned. That was in the 50s and that Badger Sette is still there.

 

Anyone else on here got any facts or stories about Working Terrier Clubs of yesterday, especially in Ireland ?

They seem to be well documented in Britain but in Ireland facts are rare.

Edited March 23, 2016 by neil cooney

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

The only club ive had dealing with seemed to be centred around a few core lads getting all the permission whilst the masses paid their subs with nothing to show for it .

[Rat face 1,655]

the fell and moorland are celebrating there 50th anniversary this year 1966 - 2016 that's fair old

[Bosun11 537]

The Merseyside WT&L Club was formed in 1980.

Does anyone remember the early shows at Bridgfield Forum Sports Centre?

[p3d 879]

"South Munster" Working Terrier Club. Founded pre 1977 in Cork.

 

One of the founding clubs of the original Irish Working Terrier organisation than ran the trials.

members; F. Longfield, P. and J.Manning, Tom ("Tarzan" from Blarney), and a couple of young lads.

 

Meetings held at the "Fox and Hounds " bar on the Northside of Cork City.

A great club to learn about working terriers and strong dogs, good days to remember.

 

I could be corrected on the name of the club, its a good while ago.

[neil cooney 10,416]

In my copy of the add for The Grallagh Terrier Coursing Meet what would they have been coursing ?

[stop.end 4,079]

to be honest id say id was probably just a wheel with a few runs with bails for jumps on, to keep them fit and socialized during the summer months and also use this as a meeting place for like minded men to meet..... I could be wrong though.

[jcb 271]

seen old footage of terriers chasing a lure and hunting rabbits out of little bits of covers.there seemed to be more women than men at it too.how times have changed

[Bosun11 537]

The old Wigan WT&L club was formed in the early 1970's. Disbanded in the early 90's under the name 'Northern' WT&LC, it had a brief resurgence in the early 00's.

Some may remember those early shows at the Cricket Club or St Patricks RFC, amongst other venues, that brought the best from around the country to a little corner of Lanc's. Alongside the best of working terriers and lurchers, the club (and the town!) was a Mecca for bull breeds and there were more shown than terriers an lurchers!

The later club had some cracking indoor terrier shows in the huge Norley pub in Wigan? Based on Dai Harcolmbe's International Working Terrier Matches, they were a cracking success.

I still have the badge form the 80's, i'll dig it out and put it up.

[neil cooney 10,416]

That would be nice to see Bosun.

Regarding coursing or racing ?

The add was from the 20s when terrier racing was very popular and as far as I've ever seen was always called racing. Coursing was always called coursing.

The coursing club I was a member of for many years is only 6 miles up the road from there and was started in the 20s too. I've seen the minutes for all the meeting for the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. Fascinating .

Another point, any racing I've ever seen advertised has always been by height , ie. 12 inches and under, over 12 inches.

For this meeting the handicap is done by weight. That's unusual.

The meeting was also made for the end of September, middle of October. Proper coursing season.

IMO it was either rats or rabbits.

[Rat face 1,655]

The old Wigan WT&L club was formed in the early 1970's. Disbanded in the early 90's under the name 'Northern' WT&LC, it had a brief resurgence in the early 00's.

Some may remember those early shows at the Cricket Club or St Patricks RFC, amongst other venues, that brought the best from around the country to a little corner of Lanc's. Alongside the best of working terriers and lurchers, the club (and the town!) was a Mecca for bull breeds and there were more shown than terriers an lurchers!

The later club had some cracking indoor terrier shows in the huge Norley pub in Wigan? Based on Dai Harcolmbe's International Working Terrier Matches, they were a cracking success.

I still have the badge form the 80's, i'll dig it out and put it up.

was there any reason why the club stopped running bosun? just with the amount of dog lads that comes from lanc's you think a club like that would thrive

[Haiddheliwr 1,911]

There was a club in the Swansea Valley in the next village to where I was brought up "the Crown Terrier Club" (the Crown being the pub we met and had shows) it amalgamated with clay shooting enthusiasts and was renamed "The Crown Clay And Terrier Club" didn't last long after that !

[Dabhand 887]

Bring back memories haiddheliwr?

[Haiddheliwr 1,911]

Spot on woods. Got one myself somewhere. Thanks for putting it up much appreciated. ATB

[Dabhand 887]