Summertime Lady shines in Spring

[Henk ten Klooster]

Summertime Lady "shines" in Spring.

She won her first qualification in field trials (very good) last sunday in Sinsheim. This young Irish import impressed not only because of her stylish points but as well for looks on the trials in the village near Heidelberg, organized by the English setter club Deutschland. Her next trial this season is in the last weekend of April in Bad Tennstadt, Thuringen.

Summertime Lady joined us as a pup when school was out for summer 2011, a doggy gift for finishing a phase in a study literature, drama and poetry at Saxion University. Because Irish setters are all of that in one, the choice for a red setter born not far from the statue for Cuchulain in Louth seemed right. Preceding this, students got lessons in limericks.

A new school is out for summer setter is in the making, sired by Lady's only litterbrother in Kentucky while the dam is a granddaughter of my Redwing White Lightning and Echlin O'Conloch, that way retrieving a family history going back to times of Derrycarne Harp (Kells) who's brother is in Lady's pedigree.

[Chantal McIlveen-Wright]

Good choice of picture Henk and many congratulations!  very well done beautiful Lady, although no real surprise here, we all knew you are a fabulous hunter as well as a very pretty girl  :-) 

[Jo Ottinger]

Congratulations !!!

[Catherine Carter]

Congratulations, Henk! :-)

[Carmel Murphy]

Well done Lady ;) ;) I used to walk my setter in the field in Louth which features the Cuchulain Standing Stone :) 

[Henk ten Klooster]

Thanks Carmel, Catherine, Chantal and Jo! Ah, it's the Cuchulain Standing Stone. As a boy I read a little book by the Dutch poet Adriaan Roland Holst entitled The death of Cuchulain. He killed (without knowing so) his own son Conloch in battles, provoked by his ex-wife Aoife from Scotland. After recognising his dead son he drowned himself in the ocean. Phew what literature! After trials in Thuringen we'll walk the fields of Louth. Any tips for other activities there, Carmel?

[Carmel Murphy]

ATTRACTIONS - Cúchulainn’s Stone, Knockbridge, Co. Louth According to folklore, this three metre high stone pillar located in a field along the road between Dundalk and Knockbridge marks the place of Cúchulainn’s death. According to legend the great warrior was mortally wounded but wanted to continue facing his enemies. He did not want them to know the extent of his injuries so he tied himself to the large stone giving them the impression that he was standing upright ready for battle. It was only several hours afterwards when a crow landed on his shoulder that they realised that he was dead. There is a bronze statue of Cúchulainn’s last stand located in the front window of the GPO in Dublin. It was unveiled in 1935 as a memorial to the participants of the 1916 Easter Rising.

[Carmel Murphy]

I lived very close to this stone when I owned my first setter "Cognac" when I was 15 years old ;)

[Henk ten Klooster]

Surprise, Carmel that you lived close to Cuchulains Stone. Ha, Cognac? Was it fashion those days to name your setter after drinks? Thinking now of Derrycarne Alcoholic, Tia Maria etc. Great stories, those legends of Cuchulain! There was another book here inspiring names entitled Deirde en de zonen van Usnach. Thanks for the pic, I can imagine a few stories just by looking at it.

[Carmel Murphy]

Myself and Cognac walked in this field every few days as it was less than 1 Km from my door ;) Nearby also are the cooley montains where the story of Queen Maeve and the wild bull of Cooley took place!! Will have to reread that story as its a long time since I read it ;)

[Henk ten Klooster]

Thanks Carmel, for your information. We booked the trip so will see Cuchulainn's Standing Stone, the Book of Kells and no doubt: pubs!