F.T.Ch. Moanruad Brendan

 

 

 

 

Il presidente dell'Irish setter Club Ray O'Dwyer (foto Luca Giovannini)

di Ray O’Dwyer (Presidente dell'Irish Red Setter club d'Irlanda)     In every race of sporting animals, certain individuals rise above the masses and their brilliance permits us to see what the race is capable of and they become the standard bearers of the breed. They do this because they catch public attention as they are the great producers or great performers and in the very occasional case both. The history of Irish setters shows that individuals like Ch. Bob, Ch. Palmerston, Muskerry, Ch. Elcho, Charleville Phil, Young Phil, Rhu Gorse, Int FTCH Garry of Burtown, FTCH The Blacksmith and IntFTCH Ballymac Eagle have left their indelible mark on the breed. It is now time to add another to the short and illustrious list. The late John Nash’s FTCH Moanruad Brendan deserves his place on the honour role. Perhaps he is entitled to go to its top, as he certainly produced more field trial champions that any Irish setter before him. Physically he was not the most imposing dog, being rather small and stocky. His strongest feature was his head. Brendan had a strong male head, a good stop and wonderful eyes. Some dogs have the benefit of intelligence; Moanruad Brendan (pet name Benje) was intelligent and had the powerful light of his brains in his glance. The look was intelligent and calm and his eyes dark and soft. Born in 1976, he became a FTCH with ease, despite the fact that he was not the easiest of dogs to train. Benje had a wilful temperament, but was yet soft and did not like too much hassle. John Nash had the experience to see what he had and to handle it, so as to get the best from him. I saw him run many times and he was one of those no fuss dogs, a good quarterer, wide and very serious. He had a strong easy gate, lacking somewhat in elegance, but very workman like and efficient. He wasn’t the fastest of dogs, but fast dogs did not make him look bad, as his use of wind and ground compensated. He found and handled game with ease. Breeding is of interest to students of pedigree, being the major force to come from Patricia of Killone. Benje was by FTCH Moanruad Kerrygold out of  Moanruad Amerilla, thus being inbred to her (see below). Like many of her offspring he carried a bit of white and was prone to pass it on, but that is only natural as Waydown Sandy had some Red and White setter blood in him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brendan must rank as one of the best sires of all time, considering how little he was used.
He produced FTCH and Int. FTW Moanruad Gingersnap (J. Nash, 1979) and FTW Moanruad Garryboy (J. Phillips) from Moanruad Mercury (Moanruad Game x Knockmore Red Molly); FTCH Moanruad Jerry (J. Nash, 1980), Joanne (R O’Dwyer, 1981), Jackie (J. Phillips) from Moanruad O’Connor (Innistona Gift x Tania of Conway); Br. FTCH and Int. FTW Moanruad Wish (R O’Dwyer), European Champion Moanruad Well There (Herr Weber, Germany, 1981) from Sunlass of Moanruad (Int.FTCH Moanruad Stardust x Br. FTCH and Int. FTW Clashawley Gem), Br. FTCHs Moanruad Sarah and Geney (P. Stewart), German FTCH Garth (A. Jockwig), FTW Moanruad Steve (S. Vitale Brovarone, Italy; 1980) from Moanruad My Girl (Grouse of Maytown x Knockmore Red Molly); FTCH and Int. FTW Lounaght Betsy (J Nash, 1981) from Glenkeen Adele (Moanruad Finn x Mount Nina). An illustrious string of winning setters, many of whom have passed on their ability to succeeding generations.

The 1990s have seen the breed approach new heights, despite the fact that the early 1990s saw it dip to alarming levels with only a few good individuals keeping the breed in the public eye.
The influential setters, particularly the males that have permitted the breed to regain its normal status, all have Brendan’s blood flowing in their veins.
Four sires have produced the most of the winning setters of the 1990s, all have Brendan’s blood and the latest success at stud, Moanruad Zardoz, is line bred to him. Lounaght Fame, Sheantullagh Hailstone and Sheantullagh Captain are his grandsons. The first two by Moanruad Garryboy,  who was by Brendan out of Moanruad Mercury (a sister of Int. FTCH Moanruad Stardust). 
Garryboy also sired FTCH Moanruad Saphire who made a big name for himself in Scandinavia as a sire. Probably his best son was Will Sloan‘s FTCH Cromabu Ash (x FTCH Golden Sunset of Cromabu) who sired some excellent workers.

 

 

 

 

 

It cannot be said that Brendan stamped his physical appearance on these dogs, as they were all slightly different in general conformation, and the bitches from this line are far more typical than the dogs.
Many of the bitches are slightly built, with rather light coloured coats and the colour around the eyes and on feathering is a paler hue than the overall colour.
What is shared by many of Brendan’s progeny is his ability as a trialer and they have superb game finding and handling ability.
Some also are slightly timid and require careful handling in very much the same way their illustrious ancestor did.
Without doubt Brendan produced many of the better dogs John Nash bred, he had great success with his progeny, knowing just how to train them without running into difficulty.
He was personally involved in breeding and selection of the five previous generations and knew just what to look for from the line.
Those of us who had the pleasure of watching FTCH Moanruad Gingersnap and FTCH Lounaght Betsy still remember their fleet, effortless gallop, their ability to dominate ground and game and to win the race to game.
They inspired an awareness of what Irish setters can do given the right patronage.
The worry was that it would not continue to the next generation, but this was allayed by the brilliance of Gingersnap’s daughter, FTCH Moanruad Quiva and from her Billy Darragh’s Br.FTCH Moanruad Zephyr, whose brother, Zardoz, though never trialed has produced several setters of excellent quality.
This is the unbroken tail female line to Red Blaze, and represents the most productive line from which modern working setters stem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brendan’s right to be listed in the honour role of the breed is guaranteed, while setters carrying his blood can still perform to the standard.
It has been shown that the blood is enduring, all that are now required are hands capable of channelling it and maintaining it. Due care must be taken not to overuse it and suitable outcrosses, if such a thing truly exists, must be sought in order to reinforce its attributes.