Lord Lurgan's world-renowned greyhound Master McGrath, thrice winner of the Waterloo Cup, died rather suddenly at the Kennels, Brownlow House, Lurgan, on Christmas night.
On Friday and Saturday Master McGrath looked dull, and on Monday when Walsh, the trainer, went, about half-past eight o'clock, to arrange things, the dog refused to rise, and appeared to be suffering.
Medical aid was at once procured, but about half-past ten he died.
In order to satisfy the public whether foul play had been resorted to, an investigation took place on the 26th December at the Kennels, Brownlow House, Lurgan.
It was conducted by the Rev. Dr. Haughton, of Dublin, secretary to the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland, and Mr Bray,V.S., of Lurgan.
They first received a statement regarding the symptoms the animal exhibited from Friday, when it was first noticed that he was ill, and after describing the medicines which were administered, all of which were proper prescriptions for a dog under the circumstances, they stated that there was no reason to believe that other medicines had been used besides those mentioned by Walsh, the trainer
Both gentlemen then made post-mortem examinations, when it was found that the cause of death was tubercle and pneumonia affecting both lungs - the tubercle being of some standing, probably from one to two years.
The immediate cause of death was double pneumonia affecting both lungs.
In this diseased condition the heart was hypertrophied, being double the size of a dog of Master McGrath's weight.
A sculptor afterwards took a cast of the dog.