On December 18, 1896 three men had the foresight to form the Irish Terrier Club of America. They were Samuel D. Parker, O. W. Donner and H. White. The first meeting was held prior to the Westminster Show on February 23rd, 1897. The club was formed “to promote interest in, and pure breeding of, what its members agree is just about the most satisfactory terrier extant.”

 

Today the ITCA consists of a governing body composed of 5 Officers and 12 Governors and a membership of over 400 persons from the US, Canada, Europe and Australia. The Club sponsors a national specialty and an annual traveling specialty, multiple local events, and produces a quarterly newsletter with show results, upcoming events, health information and many other topics.

 

The Irish Terrier Club of America is open to all persons who share a fondness for this happy rugged terrier, the Irish Terrier. New members are welcome, but have to be sponsored by a member.

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This site is a comprehensive, on-line resource for information about the Irish Terrier breed and the National Club. The ITCA promotes responsible ownership of Irish Terriers and encourages membership in the National and Regional Clubs.

The Irish Terrier originated in Ireland many years ago and can now be found on all continents of the world. Never existing in great numbers, once seen and owned, an Irish Terrier is never forgotten. The existence of an Irish Sporting terrier is referenced for centuries in ancient manuscripts archived in the Dublin Museum. One old Irish writer referred to these dogs as the “poor man’s sentinel, the farmer’s friend, and the gentleman’s favorite”.

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Early Irishmen did not keep accurate breeding records. As a result, the origin of the breed has been subject to conjecture. In Vero Shaw’s The Illustrated Book of the Dog (1881) George R. Krehl, an early advocate of the breed, stated “the Irish Terrier is a true and distinct breed to Ireland and no man can trace its origin which is lost in antiquity.”

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On a humorous note, the early and prominent breeder William Graham theorized “that the only reason they were not itemized in Noah’s list of the cargo of the Ark was that it was quite unnecessary to take a pair of Irish Terriers aboard. They could swim alongside so well.”

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Sláinte!