Welcome, this is the website for the working -original- Irish setter in the Netherlands.

Celebration time for every setter fancier. For the first time in history an Irish setter bred and raised in the Netherlands, won enough trials this year to become an Irish Field Trial Champion. Her name: Pallas Green Harriet.

Harriet is bred by Gerard Mirck (Pallas Green), was raised after her puppy hood in the O'Conloch kennels providing first contacts with partridge, pheasant and snipe and left in Summer 2006 for the famous Craigrua kennels of Jim Sheridan in Ireland. Sheridan is one of worlds most experienced pioneers in the resurrection of the working Irish red and white setter.      

Success in Ireland

What no trialer succeeded to do here, was done by Jim. He trained Harriet to absolute top levels, surprising friend and enemy. Just preceding spring 2008, her victory began on the Dublin Mountains. She added two more wins, enough for the title of Irish Field Trial Champion.

Well that is enough, you'd say. But no, Harriet went on to win the field trials during celebration of the centennial of the Ulster Red Irish Setter Club in september. Her breeder and trialer are in heaven. Good news: end of June a repeat of this combination was born. For more info mail Mirck: g.mirck@hetnet.nl.

On this website,  the story of Harriet and her illustrious sire Harry will be published with a lot of anecdotes and of course pictures. That takes some time. Watch regularly the menu White memories of times gone by to see  the work progressing. For sure the complete story will lead you to breathtaking beautiful parts of the world.  

A great mom

Congratulations for Jean Plummer,  Redwing kennels, Kentucky USA. Her Fiona O'Conloch got on August 21 eight pups sired by the Swedish dog Fyledalen's Aragorn. "All beautiful and healthy Fiona a great mom", the breeder reported.

Fiona passed her dam Redwing White Lightning (Clancy). Her third and last litter meant to be born in Summer is now planned for Spring 2009. She was beaten during the European championship for working Irish setters in France. As the saying is The winner takes it all, she goes to Urtis de la Chaume di Rigault for a mating. He is the only red setter winning in the EC and the WC this year. Look for more on Born for Adventure.  

Spring started snowy luckily with sun during the European championship for working Irish setters in Sarry, France. The Dutch team with Pallas Green Gina (Gerard Mirck), - Finnnegan, - Graton Lad (Claudia Damstra) en Redwing White Lightning (Clancy) returned home without prices but with colorful experiences.

Youth ready to fly

Young Irish setters were instructed in the arts of field trialing by Gerard Mrick autumn 2007 in a training scheme under the flag of the Dutch Irish setter club. Participators were under more Guinness (Brigitte Erkelens), Gweehin (Wijnanda van Lynden), Giulla Redskin  (Paulien ten Klooster), Faerie Tail & Fay (Willeke Davelaar) O'Conloch plus setters of Astrid Crebolder.

Gweehin proved himself in practical hunting in France, according to his owner the best of the party in all aspects (before and after shot). For the youth there was a first special field trial on April 26th in Zeeland, organized by the Dutch Irish- and English setter clubs. See for pictures and report www.irishsetters.ning.com A video of Giulla's second round on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alvyj7iCzZ8

Back to the den

One of worlds most travelling Irish setters, Giulla from Canada, was back for a month where he was born in bed on April 6th as the first of the G-litter. This mr Flying setter goes all around the world by airplane for long holidays spend by walking great landscapes. Worldwide quite a few working Irish setters bred in the Netherlands, perform well.  

Winter was used well by a lot of setterfans by reading the first Irish book on Irish setters since 83 years: The Irish Red Setter written by Raymond O'Dwyer. This is the second book on working Irish setters since Spring 2007 saw the launching of Hond Staat (Dog Points) written by Rembrandt Kersten who died in Autumn last year. See Youth on a river inspires working setter book. More about the Irish book and reviews on www.corkuniversitypress.com plus under the menu Against flow of time.

The lay out of this website is done by Femke Hurenkamp, she lives on a hill in souwthwestern Ireland. You can reach her at  www.grafreckle.com 

Till the next adjustment, so watch out for SOS-signals.  Henk ten Klooster, Summer 2008.

www.iersesetter.com