WHERE do you go for your pearl wedding anniversary? The West of Ireland, in the case of John and Julia Crosbie who had a lovely staycation booked for them by daughter Lisa and her partner Brian Murphy.

As well as touring the Banner County and Connemara, the Enniscorthy couple dropped into Ballinasloe on Monday, looking for a particular landmark.

Lisa had come up with the name Brewery Lane for her parents’ Cavalier Land three-year-old out of their prolific mare Hankalaine. After he finished reserve in the All Ireland final at Bannow & Rathangan Show, they were intrigued to hear from Irish Horse World contributor Susan Finnerty that there was a pub named Brewery Lane in Ballinasloe. The couple found the Main Street premises, where they met owner Michael O’Brien before heading home where Lisa and Brian, both schoolteachers, were horse-sitting. Amongst their charges is Brewery Lane.

“The plan with the horse is to finish breaking him, bring him on slowly and see then where we go from there,” said Julia. Another recent day out for them was to watch his half-sister Mellow Lane, an All Ireland final champion and Dublin winner as a foal, compete at Ballindenisk with Emily Young.