A CONNEMARA mare and foal will join President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, from next May, in a new deal with Kylemore Abbey.

The partnership between Áras an Uachtaráin and Kylemore Abbey is “an opportunity to provide a platform for the west of Ireland and the native breed at probably the most prominent place in the country,” said Kylemore Abbey’s executive director Conor Coyne.

The pony mare and foal will graze the grounds of Áras an Uachtaráin annually from May to September. Explaining how the deal came about, Coyne said: “We had been in contact with the team in the Áras who are in the middle of putting biodiversity grazing strategy on the grounds and we are looking at doing something similar in Kylemore.

“We spoke about possibly sharing some of the animals and offered then a pony and foal annually from May to September.”

That was followed by a visit from President Higgins and his wife Sabina to Kylemore in the summer, when the official go-ahead was given. “It will provide an opportunity to get national and international media coverage for the breed and will be the beginning of developing a more educational experience for the breed,” Coyne said.

“Some 90% of visitors to Kylemore Abbey are overseas with no knowledge of the Connemara Pony, so if we can develop a small bit of experience, that will be hugely beneficial.”

Kylemore Abbey would like to see their herd placed at other important sites around the country in the future. “I would love to see a Connemara Pony in the Irish National Stud, and maybe in places like Farmleigh, and Fota in Cork. National coverage for the breed can only be of benefit for breeders and owners.”

While it has been an interrupted year at Kylemore Abbey, which is listed in the top 10 most popular tourist attractions in the country, attracting over 500,000 visitors in a normal year, the Connemara herd has been growing and the first foal, Peaceful Paschal, arrived on Easter Sunday. “We originally sourced a mare from Padraic Heanue in Clifden and we now have four mares, three fillies and two colts. We had huge help starting out from the Connemara National Park and particularly Martin and Cathy Coyne. We have found huge interest the ponies from tourists and peoples interests definitely peaked when they had their foals,” Coyne explained.

And the goals for the future of the herd? “We have four foals due next year. What we would like to do is build up to four or five mares under the Peaceful prefix. We may keep a resident stallion down the road, if we have a top-class colt to bring on.

“I don’t see us going the in-hand show ring route, it is more as an attraction here, but something we like the idea of is developing a partnership with someone who could bring on a gelding or stallion; I would love to see a Peaceful pony at HOYS or Olympia or one of those big shows,” he added.