THE IRISH NATIONAL STUD FARM
Thoroughbred Foals and Japanese Gardens
Ireland’s National Stud Farm in County Kildare is in essence a
horse nursery and equine breeding center for the preservation and advancement
of the Irish Thoroughbred breed. A government owned facility where horse
owners around Ireland can send their animals to find a brief date with
a registered commercial stallion or board mares for care and delivery
of baby horses. For tourists, group tours are offered of the green acres
where new moms and frisky colts are released into the fields for a romp
together. With its two world reknowned gardens, for anyone who loves
horses and even those who don’t
the Irish National Stud is worth a stop if traveling through the central
inlands of Ireland.
At
the turn of the 20th Century, the son of an Scottish brewer, Colonel William
Hall Walker, acquired a farm near the village of Tully from
the Sarsfield family who had held the land since the 16th Century.
Walker’s
success as a breeder, introducing techniques on breeding and horse
farm management wree described as both inspired and eccentric. In
1915, he
gave his horse stud farm to the British crown and in 1943 it was given
over to the Republic of Ireland government. The Irish National Stud
Company was established to promote the Irish bloodstock industry.
The Horse Museum
The
museum at the Irish National Stud farm was opened in 1977 in a building
converted from a former groom’s house and old stallion stables
two of the stud farms most famous stallions, Tulyar and Royal Charger
once were housed. The museum follows the history of the horsh from
early evolution to modern times, with much of the exhibit dedicated to
thoroughbred
horse racing, the “Sport of Kings”. The smallish museum
has jockey colors and Irish horse racing memorabilia. The most distinctive
feature
of the museum is the skeleton of the famous Irish
racehorse
Arkle, standing
forever as if ready for his next ride (maybe Halloween ride).
Japanese Gardens
Near the entrance and visited at the end of the tour of the horse yards,
the Japanese Gardens are some of the best in Europe and prettiest of
their kind, visit by almost 150,00 people a year. Created between 1906
and 1910 but Colonel Walker and designed by Japanese garden master
Eida and his son Minoru, the gardens mix Japanese philosophy with a
little
western showmanship. Designed to sympolize the journey of man and the
soul's pilgrimage traveling from the Cave of Birth, through the Tunnel
of Ignorance and Hill of Learning, across the Bridge of Marriage and
ultimately the Chair of Old Age, Hill of Mourning and Gate to Eternity,
the garden path through a glorious mix of color and thought provoking
ideas about the journey of life.
St Fiachra’s Garden
In the midst of the farm, watched over be curious colts, St Fiachra’s
Garden is more a journey into the Irish mystique. St Fiachra, was an
Irish monk from the 6th Century who wandered Ireland and ended up in
France, and is the Patron Saint of Gardeners. The concept of the garden
dedicated to him, built in 1999 to celebrate the millenium, was intended
to be unconventional, a natural environment, less garden than lost wild
land as might have been encounted by the monk on his wanderings, weeping
beech and larch trees, a woodland stream with fossils and coral, an ancient
sunken oak forest among stone monoliths. The garden is strolled through
between the stallion paddocks and the mare and foal paddocks.
Visiting Irish National Stud Farm and Gardens
Guided Tours are offered daily at 12 noon and 2:30pm - €11 for adults
and €6 for children under sixteen, student and seniors €8.
Group and family tickets are available. By car, the Irish National
Stud farm is about 45 minutes from Dublin in Kildare just next to the
N7
motorway between Dublin and Limerick
or Cork. By arrow train from Heuston Station to Kildare then shuttle
bus
every 20 minutes to the stud farm, also stopping at the Kildare Village
Shopping Outlet. A bus from the Dublin’s Central Bus Station
(Busaras) departs Monday through Saturday at 9:30 am (10am and 12pm
on Sunday)
and returns from the Japanese Gardens at 3 pm and 5.30 pm. The gift
shop offers branded merchandise and beautiful crystal. © Bargain
Travel Europe
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Irish
National Stud
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IRELAND'S SCENIC COUNTRYSIDE
25 FREE THINGS TO DO IN IRELAND
TULLAMORE DEW WHISKEY HERITAGE CENTER
SMITHWICK’S
ST FRANCIS ABBEY BREWERY TOUR
