Off- beat topic- Irish breeds

[gryndlgoat]

Was flicking through the TV channels and stopped to watch a bit of a program on Ireland. Lots of views of wonderful green pastures etc., and talk of the potato famine. It got me thinking- what else did/do the Irish raise besides potatoes? I can think of a number of Irish dog breeds, and Connemara ponies and Dexter cattle come to mind, but all other livestock breeds I can think of are pretty much English, Scottish or European.

Any one else know of specifically Irish breeds of livestock (cattle, sheep, pigs etc.)? Just curious.

[the mama]

They have excellant horse farms.

[the mama]

They have excellant horse farms.

[GRUMPY Ole Man]

This is my first time to post so thought I would jump in here with an answer.The Irish Molie I think it's pronouced Mulie. It's a dual purpose breed milk and beef and may be the oldest native breed of hornless cattle in Ireland. In my section of the country the south east natuarlly poled cattle have always been called mulie headed. I've always wondered since a lot of Irish settled in this area if the name mulie derived from Irish Molie. There is also the Irish Kerry a dairy type similar to the Jersey. Hope this has helped and Y'all have a nice day.

[LisaInN.Idaho]

Irish Draught Horses, Irish Thoroughbreds and Irish Sport Horses.

[vicki in NW OH]

Bog ponies.

http://www.ipcc.ie/infobogponies.html

http://www.thornapplefarms.com/IrishImports.html#

[Madame]

Since you asked what they 'did' raise...During the potato famine they raised all sorts of crops, but were required to give them to the English landlords who literally let them die of starvation. The priests of that time told the Irish they would burn in Hell if they kept the food to feed themselves and their families.

[poorboy]

They musta have made alot of molasses as my grannie used to tell me the irish were always a "raising cain"..:-)

[LisaInN.Idaho]

Originally Posted by Madame

Since you asked what they 'did' raise...During the potato famine they raised all sorts of crops, but were required to give them to the English landlords who literally let them die of starvation. The priests of that time told the Irish they would burn in Hell if they kept the food to feed themselves and their families.

I have never heard of the Irish priests saying this....I can't imagine why they would side with the British. Do you have a link to this?

[IMContrary]

yeah, I'd like to see a reference to that too. all of the primary sources I've seen have shown the priests, bishops and nuns doing anything they could to feed as many people as possible and in some cases dying along side their parishioners.

[Old John]

Well, Shoot, I didn't see anyone list the Irish Vanner Horses, also called
Gypsy Vanner Horses.
They are the short coupled, black & white, Pinto Draught Horses, with feathered feet,traditionally use to pull the Gypsy Vans, across the Irish Countryside.

I don't think there are many of the "Irish Travelers", moving around in Vans,
over there, anymore. There are, however, big enclaves of Irish Travelers in the US, who still trade the Irish Vanner Horses, imported from Ireland. I think a lot in North Carolina, IIRC.

I can remember when I was a child in the 40's, at a big Catholic Parish, in Cincinnati, OH, when the "Irish Travelers" would have their Funerals & Weddings at our Parish.

Well, anyway..........I love the short, Beautiful Irish/Gypsy Vanner Horses.
I'd love to have a couple, if they weren't so very pricey.
Anyone ever seen any??

[Old John]

Yeah-but, aren't they Beautiful??
Long ways down the road for me.......
First fences...& I'm getting.......Old.
Thanks again

[LisaInN.Idaho]

Also...Irish Cobs. The Irish are definitely known for their horses, they are said to have the best bone of any horses because they reap the benefits of the limestone rich soil. This may debatable scientifically, but that's the claim.

[Madame]

Originally Posted by LisaInN.Idaho

I have never heard of the Irish priests saying this....I can't imagine why they would side with the British. Do you have a link to this?

No, I read it years ago when I was doing research (this was college,so 25 or more years).

[TedH71]

Irish pit bull...seriously. They're pint sized pit bulls used for fighting.

[ellebeaux]

Tamworth pigs...


From http://www.gryffonsaerie.com/tamworth.html:

The Tamworth are considered an English breed although they originated in Ireland. About the year 1812 Sir Robert Peel imported some stock and began breeding them on his estate in Tamworth, England. They have been bred extensively since then and are the foundation for other breeds such as the Duroc.

Also from the Rare Breeds Survival Trust UK, http://www.rbst.org.uk/watch-list/main.php:

The following breeds of Irish Origin can be found in the UK and historically have been a part of British agriculture: Kerry and Dexter cattle, Galway sheep and the Irish Draught horse.

[LisaInN.Idaho]

Originally Posted by ellebeaux

The following breeds of Irish Origin can be found in the UK and historically have been a part of British agriculture: Kerry and Dexter cattle, Galway sheep and the Irish Draught horse.

(Buzzer sound) Too late...already mentioned!

[LisaInN.Idaho]

Originally Posted by Madame

No, I read it years ago when I was doing research (this was college,so 25 or more years).

Bizarre. I can't find any reference to it and it certainly doesn't jibe with the stories handed down in my family.

[ldc]

Perhaps in Northern Ireland, where the people were Church of England. In the South people were Roman Catholic. Yes, in the past the religions could be in both areas, before partition. In the famine, people of both religions starved and/or immigrated. I rode a bike around partsof Northern Ireland and The Republic in 1970. The "troubles" had started again, but were not yet televised. Many people were still very poor, unlike today. In village shops, the main foods to be found were: oatmeal, milk, tea, sugar, potatoes, soda bread, onions, carrots and cabbage and 2 other things I can't remember. There were separate butcher shops. Lots of Ireland is quite cool (it snowed on me in July!), and mostly grew grass. I saw millions of sheep. But I often saw sheep in a tiny field bounded by stones, only maybe 5 ft in each direction, with one sheep in it. The rockiness was unrelentling. The only warmer place I visited was Cork, that rarely freezes due to the warm water current. There are palm trees but it wasn't Miami!

[sullen]

Do you guys know Eastern Canada has Ireland's potato blight? If you are driving from Eastern Canada to western Canada they will spray your car to keep it from moving west. Funny thing is they tell them not to spray us, we are only going south.....