Irish Wolfhounds Make Welcome Return to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park

Seamus Garry, Bunratty Castle and Folk Park pictured with Ronan Behan, age 5 from Kildimo, County Limerick with the Irish Wolfhounds at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.
Picture by Sean Curtin. True Media.

Irish Wolfhounds Make Welcome Return to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park

Irish Wolfhounds are once again roaming the grounds of Bunratty Castle and Folk Park in County Clare. Shannon Heritage has acquired two new female wolfhounds and they are already creating a stir with visitors.

“At Shannon Heritage, we have a commitment to putting the customer and visitor experience first. With that in mind, recently we asked our visitors at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park what would the like to see, and the recurring suggestion was to bring back the Irish Wolfhounds! Bunratty Castle is the most complete and authentic medieval fortress in Ireland, and no 15^th-century castle is complete without these iconic and noble dogs. We already have a vast array of animals living in their natural environment in the park- everything from sheep, goats, and pigs to donkeys and free-roaming poultry. The new Irish Wolfhounds are already proving really popular with visitors.” Says Managing Director of Shannon Heritage, Niall O’Callaghan.

advertisement

advertisement

advertisement

Ronan Behan, age 5 from Kildimo, County Limerick with one of the Irish Wolfhounds at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.
Picture by Sean Curtin, True Media.

“We are delighted with the positive reaction we are getting from our visitors and indeed our own employees who have really taken the new arrivals to their hearts. We also have plans for more iconic animals to return in the coming months, so watch this space,” concluded O’Callaghan.

To celebrate the new arrivals Shannon Heritage are running a competition on their Facebook page, where the public can suggest names for the two new Irish Wolfhounds to be in with a chance of winning an annual family pass (two adults and two children) to Shannon Heritage attractions. Visit Shannon Heritage on Facebook for more details. The competition will be open for entries until the close of business on Monday 12^th February when the new names of the two female Irish Wolfhounds will be unveiled.

Irish Wolfhounds are known for being gentle, friendly and very intelligent, and they resided in Ireland long before the arrival of Christianity and the written word. Known in Irish as ‘Cu Faoil’ denoting bravery, the Irish Wolfhound is the stuff of legends.

Throughout history, the tallest of dogs has been a warrior, a hunter and a companion to nobility. Historically these dogs were used to hunt big game, such as wolf and elk, and they gained a reputation for unequaled valour. The Irish Wolfhound even participated in battle, pulling men off horseback to be slain.

They have great size, power and speed, and an adult weights about 100 pounds. Irish Wolfhound adult males can attain the stature of a small pony. Despite their size, these shaggy-coated animals have a peaceful and quiet personality. They are affectionate and love to be around people.

Irish Wolfhounds were regular guests at Bunratty Castle from the early days of the medieval banquets in the 1960’s. The animals would roam the great hall and dining areas as would have been the custom in the medieval times.

For more stories about Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, click here.

For more information about Shannon Heritage, click here.