Another article in the Beverly Review special section for the now-canceled South Side Irish Parade is on Irish Wolfhounds. The link to the actual newspaper is at the bottom of the post.
Irish Wolfhounds often appear as symbols for Ireland. They represent loyalty, bravery and steadfastness.
Irish Wolfhounds go back 2000 years. These "Great Hounds of Ireland" were bred to take down large prey and mounted adversaries in war time. In the Middle Ages, wolves became such a problem for growing European settlements that the dogs were used to hunt down wolves. The dogs did such a good job at eradicating wolves that the breed almost went extinct itself, but was saved in the mid-1800s, leading to the dogs we have today.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) considers this the tallest breed of dog, with a minimum standard height of 32 inches at the shoulder for males. They hunt by sight, not smell, which necessitates great speed. Their size and strength is legendary.
The temperament of an Irish Wolfhound, though, is anything but fierce. The AKC describes these gentle giants as "kindly."
Joe and Madeleine Mahoney are from the South Side and have been keeping Irish Wolfhounds for forty years. Their current dogs are Casey, 5, and Nora, 3. These dogs are huge. And the most fun thing is that these dogs consider themselves lapdogs. Some of the best pictures are of them trying to fit on Madeleine's lap.
The Mahoneys are involved with the Great Lakes Irish Wolfhound Association. This group marches with the Irish American Alliance in the parade. Joe is on the far left with Casey (open the picture for the complete picture).
Please see the actual article for the complete story on all of this. Go to page 03B at:
http://www.beverlyreview.net/special/page_456a7e38-9cc6-5709-a99e-e915e18e71f9.html