The Irish Guards is one of the British Army’s Foot Guards regiments, and together with the Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of the two Irish infantry regiments in that Army. Since 1902*, an Irish Wolfhound has been the regimental mascot making the Irish Guards the only regiment permitted to have their mascot lead them on parade. Their first dog, Brian Boru, was named after the Irish king who ended the domination of the High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill, and most likely ended the Viking invasion of Ireland, as well.

In 1961, the Wolfhound was admitted to the select club of “official” Army mascots which entitled the dog to be quartered and fed at public expense, and also to receive the services of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps.  Originally, the Wolfhound was in the care of a drummer boy, but the dogs are now looked after by one of the regiment’s drummers and his family. 

The most recent mascot, “Domhnall,” was the regiment’s sixteenth mascot who retired back to Ireland in 2019. Last week, the Irish Guards welcomed its new Regimental Mascot during a handover ceremony at Wellington Barracks. The six month old Wolfhound’s formal name is Turlough Mór (pronounced Tur-Lock more) after an ancient king who ruled Ireland from 1136-1156. On a day-to-day basis, however, he’s known by his call name, Séamus.  Observers note that Séamus is already “the size of a small horse.”

Séamus was acquired from his breeder in North Yorkshire in late October and spent four weeks with his new handler, Drummer Adam Walsh at the Defence Animal Training Centre at Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. He was formally handed over to 1st Battalion Irish Guards by Regimental Adjutant Major (Ret’d) Niall Hall and will be permanently based with the first Battalion in Hounslow, west London. He’ll live alongside the Guardsmen and have a major public-facing role in recruiting events and ceremonial occasions. His first formal engagement is expected to be on St Patrick’s Day in March 2021 when a gift of shamrock from the Royal Family is distributed to the regiment.  The unit will return to full-time State Ceremonial and Public Duties early in 2022 by which time Turlough Mór will be fully-trained and ready to lead them on parade. Drummer Walsh describes Séamus as having …”that puppy mentality. He’s just growing out of it now at the minute.”

*The Irish Guards were without a mascot for more than a year in 2005 after their previous Wolfhound, “Donnchad” passed away. In 2008, they again were without a mascot when Fergal, the replacement for Donnchad, was killed in an automobile accident while being exercised away from the Barracks in 2007.

Image: The photo by Victoria Jones / PA comes directly from the official Instagram account of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, based at Kensington Palace. We hope to be forgiven for borrowing their photo to show off this marvelous breed which, sadly, is listed as a Vulnerable Breed by The Kennel Club.