New Mascot For Irish Guards – Welcome into Service Turlough Mór (Séamus)
Images from Irish Guards and Army in London HQ Facebook page Victoria Jones/PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo.
At a ceremony at Wellington Barracks on Thursday, the Irish Guards welcomed the arrival of their new Irish Wolfhound mascot, Turlough Mór (Séamus). The six month old Regimental Mascot was acquired from his breeder in North Yorkshire in late October. As with the 16 mascots before him, he is named after an Irish chieftain. Toirdhealbhach Mór Ua Conchobhair (anglicised Turlough Mór O’Connor / O’Conor), was King of Connacht from 1106 to 1156 and High King of Ireland circa 1120 to 1156. The regimental mascot will be known by his kennel name Séamus.
Séamus has spent four weeks with his new handler, Drummer Adam Walsh, from Dublin, at the Royal Army Veterinary Corps Training Centre, Melton Mowbray. Séamus was formally handed over to the 1st Battalion Irish Guards from Regimental Headquarters by the Regimental Adjutant Major (Retd) Niall Hall MVO. The young mascot has already begun his military familiarisation training to military ceremony and music at Wellington Barracks. He will now join the 1st Battalion at Cavalry Barracks Hounslow. He is due to make his first formal engagement on St. Patrick’s Day when traditionally HRH The Duchess of Cambridge distributes shamrock to the regiment. Séamus will have to wait to meet the rest of the battalion as they are on deployment to Liverpool in support of the NHS Covid-19 response. The regiment will be returning to State Ceremonial and Public Duties early in 2022 and no doubt Séamus will be front and centre.