The Staffordshire Bull Terrier

History of the Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier - The Staffordshire Bull Terrier In Ireland
Recordings by Lady Evelyn Grace, " Stafford in Eire "

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of Ireland was born in 1947. Differences arose in 1955 and by the end of the year, the club had broken up. It's to be noted that they did not seek affiliation in 1956.

However, the seeds were sown and there were plenty of Staffs around Dublin city. A little time was needed for the heat to go out of the situation of individuals and their differences, stirred up by some of the members, and then a phoenix arose from the ashes. By the end of the year, the Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier Association was born.

Hon Secretary: David O'Conner, Tommy O'Connell was chairman and among the very first members was Willie Delaney, John Barrnet, P.J.Jennings, T. Whittaker, J.G.Plunket, and Messers Fallon, and Skerritt.

In 1956, only ten staffs were registered. These included one by Willie Delaney
In 1957 there were twelve registrations; two more by Willie Delaney
In 1959 twenty-five staffs were registered with the I.K.C.

1959 - I.S.B.T.A show, Robert Grant judged the eighteen entries.Grant put up Willie Delaney's dog, Brindle Devil.

In 1956, only ten staffs were registered. These included one by Raymond McEvoy and one by Willie Delaney. In 1957 there were twelve registrations; two more by Willie Delaney and one by Raymond McEvoy. In 1959 twenty-five staffs were registered with the I.K.C.

The I.S.B.T.A held a club show that year. Robert Grant judged the eighteen entries. Included in these entries were D.O'Conner, Bobby Watts, and Billy Bell from the North of Ireland with his dog, East Down Rick. Grant put up Willie Delaney's dog, Brindle Devil.

1959 - I.S.B.T.A show, Robert Grant judged the eighteen entries.Grant put up Willie Delaney's dog, Brindle Devil.

In 1960 the I.S.B.T.A decided to bring in a specialist judge for the association show, and Alec Cairns was kind enough to come across and judge. Alec Cairns, also known as the "Great Nap Cairns", father to Clare Lee of the Constones affix. Alec had an entry of twenty-six Staffs, which was a fair enough entry in those days. He put up Willie Delaney's owner-bred dog, Fawn and Fancy, with his reserve going to D.O'Conner's, Docette, a grandson of Willie Delaney's, Ch. Brindle Devil.

At Monkstown Championship.Show, Mr. John Lowe put up Willie Delaney's, Fawn and Fancy.

Willie Delaney had won the Grace Perpetual Championship Cup three times, with Brindle Wee Lass being the first, and Fawn and Fancy winning the cup twice.

The first three Championship shows since the birth of the I.S.B.T.A in 1957, and with the seeds sown, and foundation of the breed clearly laid, the legacy continues.

In 1962 the I.K.C show had an entry of twenty-four Staffs, and Lady Evelyn Grace, had the pleasure of winning The Grace Perpetual Championship Cup, which she actually donated to the club. She won it with Ch. Bonnie MacGregor, who was bred by Willie Delaney, and was a direct son of Ch.Brindle Devil.

In 1963 Willie Delaney judged the I.S.B.T.A Championship club show and had an entry of fourteen Staffs selected Walter Topley's Highland Hurricane and gave his reserve to Senkrah Sabeau.

In 1964 Lal Murry judged the I.K.C show and had an entry of twenty-nine. He put up Walter Topley's, Highland Hurricane and his reserve went to Senkrah Sabeau.

In 1965, Int.Ch.Senkrah Sabeau won the Bitch CC and Best of Breed at Crufts.

Between 1956 -1966 there were three hundred and fifty one Staffs registered with the I.K.C. The enthusiasts left a prominent mark in the breed; first Willie Delaney, followed by Raymond McEvoy, Danny Naylor, and Walter Topley from the North of Ireland.

We are very proud, grateful and truly blessed that in the 21 Century we still have with us today, the all time Stafford greats of the Emerald Isle, Willie Delaney, Walter Topley, Etc. To Be Continued

Lady Grace pays tribute to two men, Mr. J.F.Gorden and Mr. Alec Cairns of which, both were always at hand and willing to help out in times of difficulty, Mr J.F.Gorden had taken a fancy to some of the staffords being produced in Ireland by Willie Delaney, Bobby Watts and and later incorperated these lines into his own breeding program and future foundation.

To be continued! * * *

The Dublin Red Strain ... Updated 4th February,2009

The cornerstone sire of the Dublin Red Strain was Willie Delaney's dog "Brindle Devil" and the foundation dam owned by my uncles friend Eddie Byrnes red bitch, it was two puppies from this mating went to the USA to Al Brown and Pete Sparks, both men were 100% pit men and crossed pits over both irish imports Brindle Devil and Arrogant Resistance producing these little Irish red bull dogs as they called them and making a huge impact in the pit world....

One dog out of Arrogant Resistance was called Shanty of Dublin, a brindle dog owned by Al Brown and being that both men Al Brown and Pete sparks were so active in the pit fighting, the word traveled fast....because these little dogs were fighting every weekend and rolling with some of the finest APBT's of that time.

The two key dogs to start the Dublin Red Line in the USA
Shanty of Dublin - IKC 89028 and Arrogant Devil - IKC-88853 both dogs out of Willie Delaney's (Ch.Brindle Devil - IKC-83799) x Eddie Byrnes (Arrogant Resistance - IKC-7524)

Al Brown while visiting Trinity Collage Dublin, Al was checking out the college for his son back in the USA during his down time on his tour of Dublin decided to check out good badger dogs and was lead to Willie Delaney and both Al Brown and Willie Delaney went out the next day on a badger dig, Willie took out Brindle Devil and Brown was so impressed with his performance asked Willie did he have anything for sale that he wanted to take one of these bull dogs back to the USA to see how they went on wild boar, well at the time Willie had no puppies available but connected Al Brown to family friend Eddie Byrnes who at the time had just used Willies dog Brindle Devil on his bitch Arrogant Resistance.

It was about 4-5 years later Willie Delaney was given an old copy of the USA pit magazine, your friend and mine to look at, on the front cover was Al Brown and Shanty of Dublin, I guess the story of wanting to try the staffords on wild boar was a lie or maybe that was his original intentions but the fact was that these dogs were being run in the pits and rolling with APBT's and in many cases holding their own.

So that was the first real start for the Dublin Reds, you will read lots of different stories on the internet on how it was all started but I can assure you that what I'm telling you is the way it was really all started and "Brindle Devil" was the start of it all.

So being that it was legal to take badger and the IKC were giving out certifcations to good game dogs, the staford lads were going out every weekend on badger digs, I went on a few with Willie when I was a whipper snapper and remember lots of fun stuff, but being that the badgering was in and all the staff lads wanted to produce good game dogs and the fact that the boys in the USA were all over the pit magazines every month, it wasn't long before that word got back to Ireland that Willie Delaney's pups out of Brindle Devil were producing some real game dogs in the USA.

Quite a few of the lads back in Dublin used Brindle Devil one of the men to use Brindle Devil being Bobby Watts, mating his bitch Battling Beauty to Brindle Devil and produced both Battling Dutchess and Battling Devil... and that was the start of the Dublin Reds in Ireland.

Bobby Watts and Shamus McNutt, Tony Lee started producing some great badger dogs out of Brindle Devil and Al Brown and Pete Sparks producing great dogs in the USA... so the Dublin Red was born.

You had so many stafford lads breeding around half brothers and half sisters to Brindle Devil constantly producing dead game dogs in the field and pit and Tony Lee was another man to use Willies dogs, Tony being a very good family friend to the Delaney's as was all the stafford fancy Bobby Watts, Shamus McNutt etc...

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South Tipperary Canine Club - Major Terrier Trails - Dead Game Certificate, 1960
Willie Delaney's - Ch. The Great Roger - (Staffordshire Bull Terrier)
Raymond McEvoy's - Binglea Jokers name. - (Staffordshire Bull Terrier)
Judges: Mr G. Doyle, Mr W. Malone and Mr P. O'Neill

The Sporting Terrier Club - Teastas Mor Certificate, Hacketstown Co. Carlow, 14th of October 1961
Bobby Watts - Battling Devil - (Staffordshire Bull Terrier)
Judges: Mr. P. O'Neil and Mr. J. Ward.

The Sporting Terrier Club - Teastas Mor Certificate, Blessington, Co. Wicklow, 7th September 1958
Willie Delaney's - Ch. Brindle Devil - (Staffordshire Bull Terrier)
Willie Delaney's - Ch. Swing Clear - (Staffordshire Bull Terrier)
Eddy Byrne's - Arrogant Resistance - (Staffordshire Bull Terrier)
Bobby Watts - Battling Beauty - (Staffordshire Bull Terrier)
Frank Fallon's - Fearless Dan - (Glen of Imaal Terrier)
Judges: Mr. E.Casey, Mr.J.Carolan and Mr.J.Doyle.

The Irish Working Terrier Club Association - Certificate of Merit, Major Trials, Cork, September 1976
Fleville's - Wolf Island Boy - (Staffordshire Bull Terrier)

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Willie Delaney's Dog - (Ch.Brindle Devil) - Reg# IKC 83799 Sire of:
Shanty of Dublin
Arrogant Devil
Battling Devil - Bob Watts
Battling Duchess - Seamus Mc Nutt
Ch.The Great Roger - (Brindle Devil x Brindle Bonny) also Dead Game Certificate South Tipperary Canine Club 1960
Satan's Son - (Brindle Devil x Brindle Bonny)
Ch.Fawn and Fancy
Ch.Brindle Wee Lass
Ch.Bonnie MacGregor
Great Caesar

Ch.Brindle Devil's Grandchildren
Tony Lee's - Red Commando = Double Grandson (Brindle Devil)
Riycil's Devil's Maid
Frazer of Ireland

Ch.Brindle Devil's Great Grandchildren
Wolf Island Boy

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Article by
Ray Delaney

Terrier Network
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