We have owned and shown Irish Setters since 1973 . The Affix was registered in 1974, but we did not breed our first litter until 1987. This came from our first Show Champion - Fearnley Fireheather of Kirkavagh, who won 6 CC’s, 4 Res CC’s and her JW.

There have since been 11 home bred Kirkavagh UK Show Champions and one NZ Champion (the only puppy we have ever exported) plus 3 other UK CC winners, all descending from Fireheather. Our Affix has been carried by the home bred winners of 75 CC’s & 78 RCC’s in the UK, 16 Jw winners (new style) - there were a number of others who won their JW before the introduction of the new rules - 32 individual KCSB entrants, from 25 litters and 150 puppies . We are very proud to have been Top Breeders in 2001, 2002 & 2004.

Fireheather produced our first home bred Show Champion - Kirkavagh Corejada, and her brother, Kirkavagh Fireboy, winner of 1 CC & 2 RCC’s. Two further litters produced the dual RCC winner Kirkavagh Ragotsky and Sh Ch Kirkavagh Musidora ( the only bitch in a litter of six ), winner of 4 CC’s and 3 RCC’s. Fireheather lived to be almost 15.

Sh Ch Kirkavagh Corejada produced our beautiful Sh Ch Kirkavagh Zabara, 9 CC’s, 10 Res CC’s. Zabara produced only two litters, both by Sh Ch Caspians Intrepid, in the first, came the four Sh Ch’s; Kirkavagh Khaydara JW, Kirkavagh Kalaglow JW, Kirkavagh Kooyonga (16 CC’s), and Kirkavagh Kandy (also later a South African Ch, when her owner moved there.) Another member of this litter , Karamita, is herself the dam of a Sh Ch, in Townsend’s Follidown Red Hot Poker JW. The second litter of three pups contained just one bitch who became Sh Ch Kirkavagh Lalibela JW.

Sh Ch Kirkavagh Musidora had just one litter , we kept the delightful dual RCC winner Kirkavagh Gazala, who, when mated to Intrepid, produced her own Sh Ch, Kirkavagh Fidalgo JW ( 13 CC’s, 14 Res CC’s, Gundog Group SKC (Aug) 2004), and his sister Kirkavagh Frivola 1 CC & 2 RCC’s. Her second litter, by Sh Ch Kirkavagh Kalaglow, produced KCSB entrants - K Neolanta and K Nikellora, who is already the dam of two CC winners.

Fidalgo JW and Lalibela JW together produced the lovely Sh Ch Kirkavagh Jumilla JW, (4 CC’s, 7 RCC’s) who is our fifth generation Sh Ch female, in direct descent from Fireheather, and sister Jakomima, already the dam of dual CC winner Ivanjica JW, by Clachnahar Ami Pierrot JW and other Championship 1st prize winners, Intermezzo, Iliona, Istabraq & Ivoroski. Jumilla recently had a small litter by the same sire and her two daughters , our own K Ebadiyla and the Durant’s K Escena, started their show careers very well, winning Best Puppy at Manchester, SEISC & WELKS with Ebadiyla recently gaining her Junior Warrant.

The late Sh Ch Kooyonga 16 CC’s , 6 RCC’s, , was twice BIS at the Setter & Pointer Championship Show in 2001 & 2002 and was Top Irish Setter (Dog World) in 2001. She is the dam of Sh Ch Kirkavagh Bikala JW, 4 CC’s, 1 Res CC, and two other JW winners, from her only litter of 5 puppies, her daughter K Bayakoa JW, recently produced a lovely litter of 9 puppies by Clachnahar Ami Pierrot JW.

Sh Ch Lalibela's second litter by Sh Ch Shenanagin Some Might Say It's Bardonhill has so far produced Ch Show 1st prize winners K Tambara, K Teenoso, K Teresina, K The Minstrel and K Tolomeo.

Sh Ch Khaydara JW is dam of 2 RCC winners and 4 other Championship Show winners here and of NZ Ch K Priolo at Marindallas, who has already sired Champions out there. We are currently campaigning his litter sister K Primera JW (2 RCC’s).

Sh Ch Kirkavagh Kalaglow JW has sired a Sh Ch and other RCC winners.

Linda awards CC’s in Irish Setters and judges all breeds in the Gundog Group at Open level, she has judged in Sweden in 1990 and in Belgium in 2000, she was honoured to be invited to judge Irish Setter Bitches at Crufts in 2010.

We breed only from mature, winning bitches, carefully selecting stud dogs to suit them , both mentally and physically.

Our dogs all live in the house and our puppies are all reared in the house, we would not export unless to someone personally known to us. All stock is hereditarily clear of PRA rcd1 and CLAD.