The Irish Wolfhound is a historic sighthound dog breed from Ireland that has, by its presence and substantial size, inspired literature, poetry and mythology.[4][5][6] Like all sighthounds, it was used to pursue game by speed; it was also famed as a guardian dog, specializing in protection against and for the hunting of wolves. The original dog-type was presumed extinct by most knowledgeable authors but recreated specifically for the canine fancy mainly by Captain George A. Graham in the late 19th century.[7][8] The modern breed, classified by recent genetic research into the Sighthound United Kingdom Rural Clade,[9]:Fig. S2 has been used by coursing hunters who have prized it for its ability to dispatch game caught by other, swifter sighthounds.[10][11]