INISHBOFIN and Inishshark islands, Kylemore Abbey, the Twelve Bens and the Atlantic Ocean. All these Kodak-perfect images and more can be viewed from the summit of the 442-metre high Diamond Hill in Connemara National Park. And Connemara ponies too.

Naturally you’d expect to find the native ponies in their namesake region, however their presence in the grounds surrounding Diamond Hill is due to a presidential bequest, as the Park Herd Manager, Cathy Snow explains: “When Erskine Childers was President of Ireland he was renowned for his interest in horses. On visiting Clifden Show, his Minister for Agriculture was so taken by the wonderful Connemara pony and after relaying all this information to Childers, it was decided to have a herd at Áras an Uachtaráin. They remained there until Childers died and then some travelled to Connemara National Park.