Country/Date of Origin: Ireland/19th century
In the southern mountains of Ireland, farmers kept an all-around working and utility terrier. This blue coated worker came to be known as the Kerry Blue Terrier, for the county where it came to prominence. It was used for hunting small game and birds, retrieving on land and water, eliminating vermin, and herding cattle and sheep. As a watchdog for the farm, the Kerry is second to none.
Although the Kerry Blue is hundreds of years old as a purebred, it did not come to the attention of international fanciers until the 1920s. After acceptance by the kennel clubs of Ireland and England, it gained recognition by the American Kennel Club in 1924.