Tom Dunne

The society has been busy in both running Shows and Field Trials .It runs a Championship Show every year, which is followed on the next day by a Confined Stake. It also runs runs two Open Stakes and a Novice Stake for pointers and setters. With fellow traveller, John Crilly, I had the honour to judge the confined stake near Monasterevan Co. Kildare on the the 11^th of September 1988. There were eighteen dogs entered and the whole Trial was sponsored (generously, I might add, by Frank Mooney’s ELECTRO DISEAL CO.) There were some very good dogs on view and some, although not up to standard required, were, nonetheless, sportingly entered by their owners to support the Trial.

After a full first round we selected eight dogs, which we considered to be of Open Stake standard, one of these, Jim Sheridan’s R. Craig Rua Lady, having a find on wild pheasant. David Byrne’s Sugarloaf Millie had very good running and an excellent find in her second round but the brace of the day was John Carroll’s dog, Mona’s Choice, and Brian MacDiarmada’s dog, Macalla.These two Fairly flew until a hare prove too tempting for one. We awarded First to D. Byrne’s B. Sugarloaf Millie, second to J. Sheridan’s Craig Rua Lady and third (without game) to J. Carroll’s dog Mona’s Choice, which also received the award for best speciman. There had been others, too, in the running for this award but they transgressed.

It was a most enjoyable Trial to judge on a lovely autumn day and on smashing ground.

In Open Stakes, which must be the yardstick, the Red &White is beginning to make its mark. Such dogs as Ch. Knockane Sherry, with several awards including third in the IKC’S Championship Stake, three Open Stakes and the Confined already mentioned; Ben of Sugarloaf, Hawk of Ludford; Meudon Avondale and those already mentioned are on par with other setters and pointers.

There are now seven Champions.

These are:

Mr. T. O’Leary’ s Knockane Sherry

Mr. V Brennan’s Pride of Erne

Mrs Davy’s Shannonlee Amber Flame (In England)

And Canon Doherty’s four:

Canon Doherty is President of the society. I was instrumental in awarding Show qualifiers in the field of two of the latter and can confirm that both had outstanding noses and would make excellent shooting dogs and one, in particular a fine Trial dog.

Numerically, Red &White Setters are, as yet, scarce which is only to be expected. However, the IKC approved the Society’s Breeding Development Plan which involved nine selected mating between Red &White and Red Setters over a period up to December 1990 and four of such mating have already taken place.

Each subject for mating is carefully assessed with regard to type, confirmation, temperament and working ability: the end objective being to improve the genetic base without compromising any points of the breed. All Red & White pups, prior to registration, must be passed as to colour etc. and only those who meet the exacting standards will be registered wit the IKC.

I am indebted for most of the aforementioned to John Carroll, enthusiastice Hon. Secretary of the Society and to that great lady, Mrs. Cuddy, long-time breeder and Champion of the Irish Red & White cause.

The Society is most earnest in it’s efforts and has had tremendous success in its short existence. However, the reviving has to be a slow process (deliberately so), which cannot be, achieved overnight but, if success continues at its present rate and if patience is practised, then the Society will succeed.

It is important that the judges and breeders of the Irish Re &White Setter realise that he must not bear any resemblance to the English Setter, neither in form nor in mode of work nor yet particularly with regard to markings.