GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: 56-74cm (22”-29”)
Colour: White, chestnut or solid lion colour or any combination of these.
Coat: Smooth coated - short hard and close. Rough coated - harsh and dense.
Gait: Ground covering suspended stride i.e. a hover between steps.
These tall extremely agile sighthounds are finely built. The amber almond shaped eyes are set midway between the slightly convex muzzle and the long flat skull with its prominent occiput. The very distinctive large, thin, and erect ears are highly mobile. The long neck is lean and arched and the shoulder blades are rather steep. Fore and hind quarters are long, lean and moderately angulated and the forefeet may turn out slightly. The chest is not deep and may finish up to 8cm (3”) above the elbows. The low set long tail reaches well below the hock at rest, but in action may be carried high.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
Pronounced ‘I-bethan’, this is one of the few breeds that carries no black colouring anywhere - even the nose is flesh coloured. These clean cut hounds are almost catlike in their agility and are best kept within high fences when not out being exercised. So absorbed do they become when enjoying the thrill of a chase with another hound, often they will be deaf to their owner’s call. If ever needing an operation, care should be taken to ascertain that the vet will not over anaesthetize them as like most of the lightly built sighthounds, they have a tendency to remain unconscious much longer. Being clean hounds, little time is required on their coats.
HISTORY 
Sharing the same ancestry as the Pharoah Hounds, their origins are ancient.
As far back as 4000 years BC, these pricked eared hounds have been found on artifacts unearthed by archaeologists. Ancient tombs such as that of Tutankhamen of the 14th century BC, note the presence of the breed, and even Cleopatra once owned one of these hounds. No doubt, it was with the Phoenician traders during the pre Christian era that these hounds found their way to Ibiza, a Mediterranean island south of Spain from which the breed derived its name.

GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: Approx. 63-69cm (22”-27”)
Colour: Irish setter- Rich pure chestnut, white star on forehead, chin, chest or toes acceptable. Red and white - Base colour white, with red
patches. Flecking permitted on extremities. 
Coat: Irish - flat silky and free from curl. Feathered.
Red and white - Flat, silky and slight wave O.K.
Gait: Free flowing and co-ordinated.These clean cut members of the gundog group are full of quality. The varieties are similar in construction, the main difference being in the head. The Irish has a long lean oval skull with a prominent occiput and a slight stop whereas the Red and White has a head broad in proportion to the body, a good stop, domed skull and no prominence of the occiput. In both varieties,
eyes are placed midway in the head, and the ears hang to the side. The arched neck runs into a strong body with a deep chest. Fore and hind quarters are well angulated. The tapering tail is carried out in a lively manner.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
Being among the tallest members of the gundog group, these setters convey an appearance of strength and suppleness with exuberant personalities.
They require sensitive training and being very affectionate, rarely become vicious - if treated harshly, they are more likely to become withdrawn than aggressive. They are not good guard dogs, need space to be exeicised and are ideal companions for a walk. Ears should be regularly checked and kept clean and periodical brushing is necessary to remove shedding hair.
HISTORY
Due to an ancestry involving the English Setter, the early Irish Setters were all red and white. Later, through an infusion of black/tan Gordon Setter and the desire to individualize the breed in the mid 1800s, certain breeders succeeded in breeding out nearly all the white. However, those interested in working dogs, cared little-about this and so the Red and White variety remained. Although less popular than the solid red Irish Setters, numbers and quality built up until this variety gained Kennel Club recognition.

GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: Approx. 63-69cm (22”-27”)
Colour: Irish setter- Rich pure chestnut, white star on forehead, chin, chest or toes acceptable. Red and white - Base colour white, with red
patches. Flecking permitted on extremities. 
Coat: Irish - flat silky and free from curl. Feathered.
Red and white - Flat, silky and slight wave O.K.
Gait: Free flowing and co-ordinated.These clean cut members of the gundog group are full of quality. The varieties are similar in construction, the main difference being in the head. The Irish has a long lean oval skull with a prominent occiput and a slight stop whereas the Red and White has a head broad in proportion to the body, a good stop, domed skull and no prominence of the occiput. In both varieties,
eyes are placed midway in the head, and the ears hang to the side. The arched neck runs into a strong body with a deep chest. Fore and hind quarters are well angulated. The tapering tail is carried out in a lively manner.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
Being among the tallest members of the gundog group, these setters convey an appearance of strength and suppleness with exuberant personalities.
They require sensitive training and being very affectionate, rarely become vicious - if treated harshly, they are more likely to become withdrawn than aggressive. They are not good guard dogs, need space to be exeicised and are ideal companions for a walk. Ears should be regularly checked and kept clean and periodical brushing is necessary to remove shedding hair.
HISTORY
Due to an ancestry involving the English Setter, the early Irish Setters were all red and white. Later, through an infusion of black/tan Gordon Setter and the desire to individualize the breed in the mid 1800s, certain breeders succeeded in breeding out nearly all the white. However, those interested in working dogs, cared little-about this and so the Red and White variety remained. Although less popular than the solid red Irish Setters, numbers and quality built up until this variety gained Kennel Club recognition.

GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: 46-48cm (18”-19”).
Colour: Red, red/wheaten or yellow/red.
Coat: Harsh wiry outer coat, crisp on the face. A soft undercoat.
Gait: Fore and hindlegs move free and straight with good hind drive. These lively Irishmen present a graceful and racy outline. The small dark eyes are set midway between a relatively narrow skull and a powerful muzzle. The small high set ears are ‘V’ shaped with the tips falling forward. The fairly long neck runs into a moderately long body with a deep rather than round chest. The forelegs are straight and the hind legs moderately angulated with small round feet. The customary docked tail is set high and carried erect. 
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
Known as the ‘Dare Devils’, this breed has a reckless pluck about them. In the home however, they can be endearing, lovable and thoroughly enjoy the active company of young children. Beware that if they become bored they are likely to entertain themselves by digging holes in the garden. While expert care is needed with regular hand stripping of coats for show dogs, the pet owner need only strip (or clip) a couple of times a year. 
HISTORY
Arriving in Ireland in the pre Christian era - possibly with the Phoenician trading ships - a burrowing type of dog was known to be in existence some 2,000 years ago. Other early dogs in Ireland were those capable of attacking large animals and hunters who followed their quarry on land or in water (the progenitors of todays Irish Wolfhound and Irish Water Spaniel). No doubt in the early days, the varieties were freely crossed with one another until distinctive types with required characteristics evolved. The result of this ancestry is that the Irish Terriers of today, are a little longer in body than most of their English terrier cousins, and have the added virtues of being able to acquit themselves as hunters and retrievers.

GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: 51-58cm (20”-23”).
Colour: Rich dark liver with a purplish hue.
Coat: Dense, tight, crisp ringlets that are naturally oily.
Gait: Straight and true with a high head carriage and distinctive roll.
These Irish members of the Gundog group, are eye catching with their profuse topknots and rat like tails. The Irish Water Spaniel is one of the tallest of the spaniel family with small bright eyes set mid-way between the domed skull and the short haired squarish muzzle. The low set ears hang close to the cheeks and are covered with long twisted curls. The powerful neck carries the head high (essential when swimming), and when trotting, the strong shoulders and a barrel shaped chest create a distinctive rolling gait. The tapering tail is covered with curls only for the first 7-10cm (3”- 4”). The well angulated and powerful hindquarters finish with large hairy spreading feet.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
Often called the clown of the spaniel family, the Irish Water Spaniel’s expertise in working with birds in water or on the land is quite incredible.
Their response to training when allied with plenty of praise, is heart warming. While devoted to their own family, there are times when their exuberance might be too much for the young or the elderly. Their devotion is not handed out to all and sundry and on first meeting, they remain aloof with strangers. Normally left untrimmed, if the dog is shown regularly some coat tidying is needed; however the pet owner with little time, can have the coat trimmed back periodically. Being naturally oily, the coat will not hold water.
HISTORY
The presence of this breed has been established by archaeologists from about the 7th or 8th century AD — even old Roman ruins display carvings of dogs resembling the Irish Water Spaniel. In the late 1100’s, dogs in the River Shannon area were known as Shannon Spaniels, Irish Water Spaniels and Rat Tail or Whip Tail Spaniels. Later in 1598, it was recorded that one was sent to the King of France. Pedigrees go back to the 1840s and by 1866, these spaniels were being exhibited in England.