Ireland was the last place in the British Isles inhabited by wolves.

Their extermination here was complete in 1760 following the passage of many decrees over the previous one hundred years promoting and encouraging their destruction.

Although this may horrify our modern sensibilities, it was very much in tune with the prevailing view on the animal kingdom at this time, based as it was on the Biblical idea of man having dominion over the animals.

The existence of animals was therefore to be in the service of man either through labour or as a food, and in some case, entertainment.

Wolves did not meet any of these requirements; on the contrary, wolves threatened human land holdings and farms, and threatened other creatures valued by humans.

This was because their natural habitat – oak forests – were being torn down by settlers.

As a result, the wolves bgan to focus more on what replaced them: namely the settlers’ farms and small holdings.

This view of wolves as worthless, dangerous vermin was what drove the campaign to eradicate them throughout the British Isles and northern Europe.

Everywhere in Ireland has a place famous for the having the last wolf killed there.

Here at Wolfhill in Belfast is Northern Ireland’s site.