'The Grunt' from Laois chases Nose of Tralee crown

A LOVELY Laois puggle called Murph is in the running for the national Nose of Tralee title.

Affectionately nicknamed ‘The Grunt’ by her family, the one-year-old scooped the county sash against ruff competition to reach the final of the renowned annual contest, organised by Pet Sitters Ireland.

Proud owner Samantha Moudy said: “Murph may be small, but she has a personality that's impossible to ignore. She's a pig toy fanatic, a sneaky sock thief and the best snuggle bug, even though that sometimes entails you being smothered!

“Her signature grunts, silly expressions and endless energy have a way of making everyone smile. We owe her so much for the happiness and laughter she brings into our lives every single day.” 

Describing her four-legged friend as “a little ray of sunshine”, Samantha said Murph deserves the Nose of Tralee title “simply because she is a joy and has a way of making people smile without even trying”.

She said: “Whether she's grunting around the house with her pig toy, supervising the lawn mower, or just giving you one of her goofy little faces, she brightens every day. We truly couldn't imagine life without her and she'd be honoured to bring the Nose home to Laois.” 

One pet from each county will go head to head for the coveted 2026 title this month. Online voting on the Pet Sitters Ireland website will close on 17 August, with the overall winner announced the following day.

There is a major prize package for the winner, including €500 cash, a pet-friendly hotel stay and a professional photo shoot, while there is also a runner-up prize and treats for all 32 county finalists.

This year’s competition received a record-breaking 1,805 entries and more than 68,000 public votes. Following the public vote, the top three pets from each county were reviewed by an independent judging panel, who selected one finalist to represent each county based on their photo and written entry.

Pet Sitters Ireland founder and Nose of Tralee organiser Kate McQuillan commented: “Every year we're amazed by the love people have for their pets, but this year's competition has been our biggest yet. The standard was exceptionally high and every finalist has a wonderful story to tell.”