The Master was born in 1866 in County Waterford, being bred by James Galway of Colligan Lodge, Ballymacmague, near Dungarvan. The memorial statue, erected there in 1873, tells us that his mother ("dam") was James Galway's "Lady Sarah" and that his father ("sire") was Lord Lurgan's "Dervock". Lord Lurgan is usually given as the owner but it seems that he was jointly owned by the two men. The story goes that The Master was the runt of a litter of 5 and that Galway wanted to drown him. However a young kennel boy, called McGrath, pleaded that he be spared: he was, and then named after the boy. It's a good story, all the better for probably being true.