Overdene Niamh Chinn Oir

Owner : Overdene Golden Retrievers Breed : Golden Retriever
Location : WITNEY, Oxfordshire
12th June 2007 - 3rd July 2020
Colour : Golden
Health Tested ⓘ

We are very sorry to report that Niamh passed away on Friday, 3 July 2020, just 3 weeks after celebrating her 13th birthday. Niamh was an amazing girl - she never put a foot wrong in her whole life, easy to train, obedient, loving and the mother of 4 lovely litters of typical, Golden puppies. We will miss her greatly, but we're grateful to have had her in our lives.


Niamh was the 2nd puppy born (and the only bitch) in her mother Aoife's 1st litter of 10 by Mrs Anne Fanning's Brensham Observer born in June 2007 as the result of a 5-second "blink and you missed it" but nevertheless planned liaison. And although prior to the happy event I had told myself I wasn't keeping a puppy, I soon realised I couldn't part with Niamh because she was (at that time) the only daughter of both parents. Knowing my luck, if I had let her go, Aoife might never give me another bitch puppy - it was a very happy decision because Niamh proved to be a very easy puppy to raise, and has always reminded me of her lovely grandmother, Overdene Astipalaia, both in looks and attitude to life. As is the case with all Overdene breeding bitches, Niamh has been DNA profiled.

Despite being able to clear babygates with the prowess of a seasoned steeplechaser since the age of about 15 weeks, like most Overdene puppies before her, Niamh never really went through a destructive phase, although her "party trick" as a puppy was to empty the contents of the water bowl all over the kitchen floor! But like her granny Kyriaki, her love of water ends there. We have yet to persuade Niamh that swimming is fun; we know she's competent once out of her depth - she just chooses not to go in over her knees!

Being slow to mature (unlike her mother, but like most other Overdenes) she was only lightly shown as a puppy. We were thrilled, however, with her placings under judges who were showing and breeding many years ago; judges for whom dark colour is not an issue, and who appreciate that youngsters need time to mature and should be allowed to enjoy their day out. Niamh has always been willing to stand looking lovingly at her handler, with wagging tail; she is delighted to have the attention when judges go over her, and although she does currently have a tendency to carry her tail like a "toller", she has inherited the excellent movement of both her parents.

Maternal duties over, Niamh returned to the show ring as a Veteran, qualifying for Crufts on a number of occasions, including several times having recovered from two ruptured cruciate ligament surgeries in 4 years, although she never did make it into the ring at Crufts. Her last qualifier was at a day short of turning 12½ in December 2019.

Niamh was always a joy to have around, and she will be much missed by her family and many friends.