William Fraher selects a painting of the celebrity greyhound Master McGrath and his trainer, James Galwey, from the Waterford County Museum collection
The greyhound Master McGrath is little known today outside of greyhound circles, although he was a celebrity in his day. However, his image lives on in paintings, prints, statues and ornaments in public and private collections.
Master McGrath was born in 1866 at Colligan Lodge, near Dungarvan, Co Waterford, the home of James Galwey (1800–1880), JP and agent to Richard Dawson, Earl of Dartrey and a well-known trainer and greyhound owner. Charles Brownlow (1831–1882), the second Lord Lurgan, of Brownlow House, Lurgan, Co Armagh, had sent a hound to James Galwey for breeding. Master McGrath was one of a litter of seven pups.
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