MUSINGS
AND SUCH BY
SOMEBODY WHO BY THIS TIME
SHOULD KNOW BETTER
by Dick Johnson, Jodi
Boxers
SURE AND IT'S THE OLD
MUSER
ON A GRAND DAY IN MARCH
Would you believe that it's
that time again? Time for the wearing of all things green. As my sainted grandmother,
Hanorah Meehan, said "When the sun rises and time passes, all things follow and the
savors expire." Nobody seems to know what the hell that means, but Hanorah always did
have a healthy dollop of Irish Tea to get her day started and philosophy seemed to flow
from that point. As a matter of fact, most Irish philosophers seem to be strongly
influenced by varying amounts of Irish Tea, but that doesn't make them bad people (Or
bad philosophers? - ed). At any rate, the Irish have made significant contributions in
the field of arts and letters. What many don't know is the many contributions made by
Irishmen in the field of dogdom. Allow me to cite a few examples:
Dolan McBride - Dolan crossed
a pig with a goat and thence was born the Bull Terrier. (I don't make this stuff up, I
just report it.)
Sean Gilhooly - Sean is the
person responsible for establishing the classification system for dog shows in Ireland.
Subsequently, the English took this system and made it their own. Upon hearing this,
Gilhooly burst into hysterical laughter, saying "They actually bought it, did
they?"
Brendan O’Halloran -
Brendan developed the Ultimate Judges Survival Kit, which included sunglasses, antacid and
pain reliever for judges forced to judge at eight o'clock following the Judges Hospitality
Dinner the previous evening. Also included is a coffee additive called appropriately,
"Hair of the Dog."
Shamus Burke - Burke came up
with a new means of baiting dogs in the ring. This composition is made up primarily of
cheddar cheese and sherry wine. Absolutely delicious. Burke developed this bait due to his
abhorrence of liver. On many occasions, Burke was defeated in the show ring because when
he put the liver in his mouth to set his dog, he promptly lost the lunch recently consumed
as well as several meals only vaguely remembered.
Casimer Czewdzowski (his
mother was an O’Connor) - Cas formed the first professional team of clean-up
personnel. He and his merry band traveled across the country in his multi-colored
converted church bus from which wafted the faint aromas of corned beef and cabbage,
kielbasa and doggie do. They spread good cheer and sawdust wherever they went. They were
affectionately know as the IAITW’s (It's All In The Wrist).
These are only a few of many
Irish contributors to the present-day show scene. I'm quite sure that there are many other
nationalities who have contributed to the world of dogs. At some later date, we will
meander down the alleys and dig up what one usually digs up in alleys. Till then... |
