The Kerry Beagle is an ancient breed, believed to date back to the 16th century; detailed pedigrees date back as far as 1794. It is said that the gadhar, a dog written about in ancient Irish texts, is a direct ancestor of the Kerry Beagle. Local legend has it that when Noah's ark came to rest against Galtymore, the highest peak in Tipperary, two black and tan hounds scented a fox and leapt off in pursuit, never to be seen again. By the 1800s the Kerry Beagle's numbers had dwindled in Ireland, with only one major pack maintained, the famous Scarteen of County Limerick belonging to the Ryan family, which still exists today.