Original Works of art

The Irish Setter became popular in the eighteenth century in Ireland. Early dogs were often red and white, with white frequently predominating over red. The solid red first appeared in Ireland around 1810. As J. H. Walsh ("Stonehenge") has pointed out, "The blood red or rich chestnut or mahogany color is the color of an Irish Setter of high mark. The color must be unmixed with black; and studied in a strong light, there must not be black shadows or waves, much less black fringes to the ears, or to the profile of the form."

Irish Setters did not become popular in England until about 1880, having acquired a reputation for "unsteadiness" in the field, an accusation that "Stonehenge" in his 1879 edition of Dogs of the British Islands contested stoutly: "I have seen several at work, and certainly have no reason to think them more unsteady than their English rivals, but neither will compare with the Pointer in that respect. They are slashing goers, with heads and flags well up, and the latter lashed merrily in most cases, though, like the English Dog, not invariably so. In endurance they are quite up to the best English form..."