The Irish wolfhound will feature prominently on Ireland’s new passport design.

Initial drawings inspired by ‘majestic’ three-year-old wolfhound Boánn from the Boyne Valley have now been submitted to the Department of Foreign Affairs, with the new passport due to be introduced next year.

The wolfhound was chosen after an ‘unprecedented’ number of people voted for their favourite Irish plants and animals in a public consultation last summer.

Early draft sketch of the Irish wolfhound for inclusion in the next passport. Image: Department of Foreign Affairs

They were asked to choose their favourite animals from four lists, with the Irish wolfhound coming out clear favourite in the first list.

Other popular choices from List one, were puffin and the Atlantic salmon.

The red squirrel was the most popular choice from List Two, with the bumblebee, bottlenose dolphin and basking shark also performing strongly.

A Red Deer at Killarney National Park in County Kerry. Image: Robertharding / Alamy

The red deer was the most popular animal in List Three, followed by the Connemara pony, the Irish goat and the wren.

The red fox won out on List Four, just slightly ahead of the Irish hare, with the barn owl coming in third.

When the lists are combined, the most popular animals were:

1. Irish wolfhound
2. Red squirrel
3. Red deer
4. Red fox
5. Irish hare
6. Puffin
7. Bumblebee
8. Atlantic salmon
9. Connemara pony
10. Barn owl

Speaking after seeing preview drawings of the Irish wolfhound, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said the upcoming redesign is “fundamental to maintaining the integrity and reputation of the Irish passport worldwide”.

“As well as seeing the initial designs, I was also delighted to meet Boánn, the majestic wolfhound, who has inspired some of the intricate artwork that will feature in our next generation passport,” he said.

“The Irish wolfhound was the most popular animal chosen by the public in our recent public consultation and will feature prominently in our new passport.

“We share this island with a rich variety of plant life and a diverse range of animals and I look forward to seeing future design concepts as they progress.”

A red fox vulpes on the mountain. Image: Enda Flynn / Alamy

The initial wolfhound illustrations were drawn by artist Denise Nestor.

The imagery will be layered with “complex security techniques that add to the visual appeal and robust anti-fraud properties of the passport”.

Three-year-old Irish wolfhound Boánn was bred near the Boyne Valley in County Meath and takes her name from the legendary Goddess of the Boyne.

Irish Wolfhounds are one of the oldest dog breeds in the world and have been part of the culture and heritage of Ireland for thousands of years.