It seems that all things truly Irish are shrouded in history and legend -
none less than the wild and barren Glen of Imaal in the heart of Co. Wicklow to
which the hardy, courageous, bow legged Terrier is indigenous, and from where
the dog proudly takes its name.
The `Glen' itself owes its name to the people who inhabited the area many
centuries ago a tribe named Ui Mhail, and this name can be traced back as far as
the year 737. Since then the Glen of Imaal has been the site of many events
important in the evolution of Ireland, sadly too numerous to mention as they
would deserve Volumes in their own right. Over many generations the inhabitants
of this beautiful but infertile Glen kept their Terrier and gradually bred into
this little dog all the characteristics of a much larger canine so necessary to
allow it to serve its masters and share their tough and difficult existence in
an area not kind to any being unable to survive hardship. The Glen of Imaal
Terrier was as necessary to his owner's existence as was food to their stock,
and he did his job well. He is one of the smallest, gamest Terriers in the world
today and the Irish are justifiably proud of him now as they were centuries ago.
The Glen of Imaal lies in all its beauty, guarded by a circle of protecting
mountains including Brittas Hill, Table Mountain, Lugnaquilla Mountain, from
where the Galtees, the Comeraghs, Slievenamon and even Wales can be seen, then
Keadeen, Spinans and Donard. One glance of the map is sufficient to illustrate
the wildness of the Glen and it takes little imagination to realize what an
ideal home it is for fox, badger and the other marauding vermin who are the bane
of the farmers' and small-holders' lives. There are no permanent inhabitants
here now. In 1900 there was an Artillery Range established by the British and
this still remains in use today by the Irish Army, so red Danger marks have
become a familiar part of the landscape now.
Down through the years the Glen of Imaal and its sister glens, Glendalough
and Glenmalure have been the setting for many battles, struggles and acts of
bravery. The names of Michael Dwyer and Antrim man Sam McAllister, United
Irishmen whose force fought the Highlanders in the Rising of 1798. In February
1799, McAllister sacrificed his life for Dwyer, his leader, by drawing the enemy
fire and allowing his leader to escape. In Baltinglass stands the 1798 Monument
to Michael Dwyer whose grave is in far off Australia, tho' his thumb was buried
in Leitrim after an accident with a blunderbuss, It was after fighting the Irish
forces in these Glens in 1798 that the British General Sir John Moore is reputed
to have said: "If I were an Irishman, I would be a rebel."
So, this is where our little game Terrier comes from -- from a wild Irish
Glen, steeped in the romance of Irish History and legend - a place of mighty
deeds and acts of courage, which still lies unchanged through the years, as are
the native Glen of Imaal Terriers who have never been cross bred they remain
pure now as they were then, still well endowed with the characteristics with
which they served their masters long ago in the mountains and glens of Wicklow.
Much is written of Irish History, but very little record remains of the
history of the Glen of Imaal. A wild, barren and lonely Glen which saw much
action during the reign of the first Elizabeth, Hessian and Lowland mercenaries
doing much of the fighting with the Irish in this, the Glen of Imaal, Glenmalure
and Glendalough.
The Glen of Imaal is situated in West Wicklow, much nearer to the Kildare
side, bound on one side by Table Mountain and on the other by Derrybawn,
Mullacor and Djouce. Lord "Black" Fitzwilliam was the Lord Lieutenant
at that period and Major Grey was in command of the troops who fought the Irish
peasants under the McHughs, the McCeathairs and Rory Og 0 Moore. When their term
of office came to en end they were granted tracts of land in this barren
wilderness and this they farmed.
To this end the Glen of Imaal Terrier dog was bred long and low to the ground
with powerful head and legs bowed, this game little dog guarded their stock and
fought many a fight for wagers away from the watchful eyes of the Law
The breeding in this dog is more likely to have derived from the Irish
Wolfhound as the Kerry Blue Terrier and the Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers were
not known in this area. Whatever was used to arrive at the conformation of the
dog, the people in West Wicklow kept it secret and it was not until 1980 that it
was seen in Great Britain.
During World War II a British plane crashed on Djouce with the loss of all on
board the lone memorial in the Glen of Imaal does not remember the past history
of the people in this Glen but rather the plane that crashed.
Time has passed and the Glen no longer has residents and farmers, it is
extensively used by the Irish Army for firing practice and has achieved
notoriety through the newspaper headlines and reports detailing the many
accidents that have occurred during recent years involving live ammunition which
caused injury and many deaths Stranahely Wood. which was one of the best known
local beauty spots, is now closed to the public as it is too dangerous. Donard
is the nearest townland and the place most inhabited. The local schoolhouse is
Knockinarrigan and behind the Glen is Glendalough.
The secrets of The Glen of Imaal are forever bound in this wild and beautiful
place and the dog of the same name, The Glen of Imaal Terrier was bred to merge
with the heather, bracken and fern of the landscape, thus giving the colouring
of Blue and Wheaten to this grand little dog.
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MIDI FILE
playing on this page is 'Wind that shakes the Barley' copyright Richard Jordan
1996-7 from the Jordan O'Connell Celtic Midi Archive
photograph
on this page is property of W Lucas ©copyright Wendy Lucas 2000