By Dan Danaher
THE lifesaving exploits of a Great Dane were honoured with a national award recently.
Charlie’s ability to detect when Brianna Lynch (3) is going to have a seizure, has been officially recognised by the Irish Great Dane Club (IGDC) Club. This makes him a welcome member of the Killaloe/Ballina community, where Brian Boru once reigned.
There were up to 30 of the giant breed shown at the club’s open show annual event in Cloghran, Dublin. Brianna and Charlie were due to attend with Arabella but due to Brianna’s ill heath they could not do so.
Brianna’s sister, Rose came to the event and received the award on their behalf. The award was presented by the IGDC president, Mary U Nolan and by the IKC president, Sean Delmar.
Clare Ryan, who is a member of the IGDC, said she was incredibly proud to have bred Charlie and for his super temperament to be making such a difference.
Ms Ryan noted Charlie now lives with the wonderful Scanlan family about 30 minutes away from us.
“He is totally unaware of how amazing his power is and is blissfully happy spending his days with Brianna and her family,” she said.
Clare and her husband, Shane own the Rydane Kennels in Fedamore, County Limerick that Charlie came from. Charlie’s registered name is Rydane Southpaw Grammar. His mother is Champion Nerakdane Evanescence (Poppy). She won the Reserve CC at Crufts 2010 and was the European Junior Winner in 2009. Charlie’s sire is Dainwood Hania (Sebastian) He is owned by Dy Duncalf of the Dainwood Kennels near Nottingham, UK.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.