Irish National STud 22 May 2015

First day in Ireland. I'm staying with a friend in Kildare - home of Irish bloodstock industry. I had a very busy day today so there will be a couple of postings - just to keep them separate.

I started at the Irish National Stud - an absolutely wonderful, immaculately kept stud farm started by Colonel William Hall Walker in 1900. He apparently believed that the foal's futures could be predicted by their astrological signs. Not sure how well that went but it's still going strong 115 years later. The farm was handed over to the Irish Government 1944 so it's really a national treasure.

There's a museum, though I just glanced in, it was much too nice a day to spend inside. 

 Inside the sphere...

There were a couple of busloads of tourists there but they were off in their own groups and I felt I pretty much had the 800 acres to myself most of the time. The sun shone! Apparently for the first time in a while, and I spent a lovely couple of hours meandering down lanes and looking at horses. Very peaceful.

The last picture are the retired horses - they obviously needed the rest - these had all been really big winners in their time. And how are those babies?

There is also St Fiachra's Garden with a stone monk's cell and a statue of him overlooking the lake.

Then on to the Japanese Garden which are also part of the farm. But that's the next post.