THE introduction of Connemara Ponies to Kylemore Abbey in Connemara has brought joy to everyone who works in and visits the estate. None more so than Benedictine nun Sr Karol O’Connell, who joined the Abbey in 1978, and has welcomed the ponies onto the farm with open arms.

“All the nuns really love having them here. First thing in the morning, they look out and make sure they are all there,” Sr Karol told The Irish Field during a visit to the Abbey this week, after their mare Gray Lass and her colt foal had been delivered to Áras an Uachtaráin in the Phoenix Park where they will spend the next four months.

On Monday, it was President Michael D. Higgins who was full of joy when welcoming Gray Lass or ‘Snowy’, an eight-year-old mare by Lehid Canal Prince, and her foal Peaceful Aimhirgin (by Blakehill Ballylee Storm), named by the President after Aimhirgin Gluingheal mac Mileadh, the Milesian warrior-poet of Irish mythology who is said to have defeated the Tuatha Dé Danann.

The new partnership between Kylemore Abbey and Áras an Uachtaráin arises from the recommendations in a recent biodiversity audit, commissioned by the OPW at the request of President Higgins, to develop a conservation management plan for the grounds of Áras an Uachtaráin, while also providing the ideal opportunity to showcase the native Connemara pony breed.

Kylemore Abbey’s Executive Director, Conor Coyne, told how the partnership came about. “It was a culmination of 15 months of planning which started in the depths of Covid-19 when there wasn’t anything to be joyful about. On Easter Sunday last year when our first foal was born I decided to write a letter to the President just to say they was a bit of good news in the west, a bit of solidarity,” Coyne explained.

“His office got back within weeks, and we started discussions about what we have in common, particularly interests in protecting the environment, biodiversity, and they were on the verge of completing a study with Trinity College on the biodiversity of the estate in the Áras. That did two things – it gave us the inspiration to do something similar, and secondly, offered us the opportunity to provide them with the indigenous breed, the Connemara Pony, to graze their estate, as part of their land management strategy is to use indigenous animals.

“President Higgins was delighted, he said it was the start of a new tradition.”

President Higgins watches as Gray Lass and Peaceful Aimhirgin enter their field in front of Áras an Uachataráin in the Pheonix Park \ Tony Maxwell

Education

The Benedictine community at Kylemore Abbey are focused on education, and having a pony in such a prominent position in front of the President’s home will hopefully inspire visitors to learn more about the breed.

“I have a vision that if you have an international head of state or dignitary coming to visit and a photo opportunity happens, there is a 50/50 chance that the pony might get into it because they are directly outside the front door. The type of pony we sent is quiet and docile. If we can give people even a little bit of inspiration to find out more and peak their interest in the pony, that is positive,” Coyne added.

There is another interesting link between ‘Snowy’ and the Áras, explained Executive Assistant at Kylemore Abbey, Niamh Philbin. “Back in the 1970s, the CPBS presented ponies to President Childers. Shortly after he passed away, the ponies were dispersed around with some coming to the National Park just over the road here in Connemara. Snowy is by Lehid Canal Prince, who is by Oisin, who is out of a mare Silver Fort, and she was actually born in the Phoenix Park, so Snowy’s great grandmother came from the Áras.”

Herd

There are four other broodmares in the herd at Kylemore and they welcomed four foals in total this year, all from different stallions. “We are quite diversified in terms of lineage. We have purposely not concentrated on one line or the other. We want to showcase the different attributes and characteristics, and also to provide breeders and stallion owners each their opportunity,” Coyne explained.

A tour around the fabulous 1,000-acre estate shows new interactive signage to educate visitors about the ponies, as well as the flora and fauna, and new walkways have been cleared over the latest lockdown period.

The place was a hive of activity as the staff prepared to open their doors yesterday (Friday) after an eight-month closure. The outdoor dining capacity has been increased to 200, while chef John O’Toole has been busy creating home-made ice cream from home-grown produce, for the two new ice-cream carts that will be introduced on the estate.

Finishing with an anecdote, Sr Karol explained that the mother abbess, Sr Máire Hickey, loves to watch the ponies in the field, which she can see from her office.

“Mother Máire said to me the other day that when she worked up at the abbey, her office was the room right over the front door, looking down at the lake, and she said ‘I thought I was lucky when I worked in the Abbey, but I am here looking out at these ponies, I am so lucky to be looking out at them’.”