There were no further Irish Guards' mascots until 1951 when Miss E. Lithgow presented Kirkheaton Patsey, known as Pat. He was born July 13th, 1946, by Timber Wolf of Ouborough out of Develin Dinah.
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| The front cover of The Field, August 16th, 1952 showing Pat with his handler |
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| On the back of the card it says: "Irish
Guards are attached to the Household Brigade and were formed in 1902 as a mark
of Queen Victoria's appreciation of the services rendered by the various Irish
Regiments during the South African War. They wear a Blue Green plume in the bearskin. The buttons on the tunics are spaced by fours." |
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| Patsey with his handler, Boy Sullivan |
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| The Irish Guards leaving Buckingham Palace after Changing Guard |
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| Patsey's official portrait |
Pat served with the Regiment in Germany until 1953. He was euthanased with osteosarcoma in 1954 and the Regiment was then posted to Egypt, so again there was no mascot for a time.
August 24th, 1960 Rory of Ballygran was presented to the Irish Guards by Lieut. R.L. Lakin, 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own). He was bred by Mrs. R. Harper, by Dornford Bit of Silver out of Moreen of Ballygran, born June 24th, 1959. He was known as "Shaun". To see Shaun's story before he joined the Irish Guards, click here
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| 14 month old Seán being met at Euston
Station by Guardsman Birmingham, his handler |
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| Postcard, no date but the hound looks like Shaun |
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| Corps of Drums 1st Battalion Irish Guards in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace with "Shaun", the Regiment's mascot |
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| Shaun at Crufts with his handler, Guardsman
Birmingham He was entered at Crufts in 1961 and 1962. In 1961 he was placed 3rd in Post Graduate D and Reserve in Mid Limit D |
On the 30th June, 1961, Shaun was presented with his first Irish linen coat, which was donated by the Irish Linen Guild. The coat was in scarlet Irish linen and the embroidered regimental badges that adorned it took more than fourteen hours to complete. On December 10th, 1964 Shaun was presented with his second ceremonial coat as the first was worn out.
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| This is a cutting from a magazine in the 1960s(?) |
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| HRH The Princess Royal giving shamrock to Shaun |
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| H.M. Queen Elizabeth II and Shaun |
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| Postcard - The Corps of Drums and Mascot leaving Buckingham Palace |
Shaun retired in September, 1967. After a ceremonial send-off by the Regiment he went to live with the Scottish author Sir Iain Moncrieffe in Perthshire.
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Updated 7/11/2007