A MEMORY OF ROBIN, PADDY & KERRY — THE IRISH WOLFHOUNDS WHO FILLED OUR LIVES WITH GENTLE LOVE
Some memories remain so vivid, so tender, that they feel as though they still breathe in the quiet corners of home. Our days at The Prebendal with Robin, and our two magnificent Irish Wolfhounds — Paddy and Kerry — are among the moments I hold closest to my heart. 🐾💚 Both dogs came to us as rescues, each with their own story, each with a depth of loyalty that only animals seem to express so purely.
Kerry, the gentler and more delicate of the two, suffered from spondylitis that affected one of her back legs. Though she tried to remain cheerful, the condition often made walking painful. Paddy, with his great size and even greater heart, understood this in a way that still astonishes me. From the orchard at The Prebendal, he would gently break off an apple branch, dragging it all the way to her as an offering — as if to say, “You are not alone. I’m here.” 🍎
When Kerry passed away during an operation, something inside Paddy shifted. The house felt different, quieter. He wandered from room to room searching for her, and then he left a single apple on her bed, waiting for a friend who would never return. 💔 After that, he stopped eating. He lay down more often, moving slower, showing the unmistakable signs of grief that any human would recognize.
I truly feared we might lose him too.
Days passed with little improvement, until we found another rescue — a gentle soul who needed a home just as much as Paddy needed companionship. And then something remarkable happened. The moment I set down the food bowl for the newcomer, Paddy rushed in and wolfed down his meal as if waking from a long, sorrowful dream. It was as though he finally understood he had someone new to care for… and someone new who needed him. 🐕❤️ I remain convinced, even now, that this small miracle of timing saved his life.
Their personalities were as charming as their size was impressive. Both Paddy and Kerry adored fruit, especially the plums that grew from the tree by the riverbank. They had a clever habit of eating them whole and then spitting out the stones as they walked — an image that never fails to make me smile. 🍑🌳
Today, in the place where they once played, stands an entire row of plum trees — unexpected, beautiful, and quietly symbolic. Each tree is a living reminder of the dogs who loved us, comforted us, and taught us so much about loyalty, compassion, and healing. 🌸🌿
Their time with us was not nearly long enough… but the love they left behind continues to grow, season after season, root after root — just like the trees they unknowingly planted.