Saved from the jaws of extinction
In 18th-century Ireland, three types of setter were recognised by coat: the red and white, the solid red, and the now-extinct ‘Shower of Hail’, which had a red coat flecked with white ticks. Of these, it’s the red and white that can lay claim to being the original Irish setter.
Despite this, the solid-red variety soon rose in popularity — winning favour in the show ring and as a household pet — and eventually became so symbolic of Ireland that it features on the Bus Éireann logo. As red took centre stage, the red and white was quietly disappearing.
Enter Revd Noble Houston, an Ulster cleric and former Army chaplain, who returned home after the First World War to find the breed near extinction. Determined to preserve the original Irish setter, he began a careful breeding programme, including the Rossmore line, to bring the red and white back from what he described as ‘the jaws of extinction’.
His efforts were continued in the 1940s by Maureen Clarke (later Cuddy), who bred her dog Judith Cunningham of Knockalla to one of Houston’s dogs, Jack of Glenmaquin. Today, nearly every Irish red-and-white setter can trace its pedigree back to Cuddy’s line.
An elegant, working companion
Traditionally used by falconers to locate game birds, the setter would ‘set’ — freeze in place — to indicate prey. Their calm, intelligent nature made them a dependable gundog and a trusted working dog for the landed gentry.
The Rossmore family of Rossmore Castle, Co Monaghan (now demolished), were such champions of the breed that they established their own line. The distinctive red and white coat was also practical — it made the dog easier to spot when quartering moorland, compared to its darker-red cousins blending into the peat and heather.
Happy, affectionate and highly intelligent, today’s Irish red-and-white setters are described by the Kennel Club as ‘athletic rather than racy’. In the 1820s, a good example would fetch between 15 and 20 guineas—more than 300 times the average weekly wage. Yet by the early 20th century, their numbers had dropped drastically.
Thanks to a few dedicated breeders, they were saved — and today, the breed remains a striking, historic, and affectionate part of Ireland’s sporting legacy.
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