Horse racing and riding are an important part of life in Ireland, from the valuable bloodstock reared in the limestone counties of Kildare and Tipperary to the rugged Connemara ponies, supposedly descended from Arab stallions which swam ashore from the wrecks of the Spanish Armada in 1588. Nearly every county has its own race course and at least one pack of hounds, while horse fairs, shows, cross-country events and trekking are all part of the life of the countryside.
The centre of the bloodstock industry is County Kildare, with the National Stud, race courses at The Curragh, Naas and Punchestown, and regular bloodstock sales at Goffs in Kill. Undoubtedly the most convenient Hidden Ireland house for all these activities is Martinstown House on the Curragh, a beautiful, comfortable, immaculately maintained Strawberry Hill Gothic house with wonderful gardens and excellent food. Many of our other Hidden Ireland houses are also within easy reach of a race course
Hunting in Ireland
Hunting is a popular sport among all sections of Irish society. Many of those who hunt are farmers and their children (without whose goodwill hunting could not exist) and the involvement of those who own the land gives the hunt a real feeling of being part of the life of the countryside.
Most counties have at least one hunt and some have several. The majority of hunts are clubs, which are usually fully subscribed, but most welcome a limited number of hunting visitors. Intending visitors should contact the hunt well in advance, to make sure that they can be accommodated and to arrange for the hire of a horse. They will have to pay a visitor's cap, and of course they will need somewhere to stay adjacent to the hunt country.
This can all be arranged for you when you stay at Lismacue, a fine Georgian house in County Tipperary. The owners, Kate Nicholson and her husband Jim, are both keen foxhunters. Their house is geared to meeting the needs of those who hunt and you will be cared for and entertained in traditional style. The nearest packs are the Scarteen, The Limerick and the Tipperary.
Mount Vernon is ideally located for hunting with the Galway hunts.
Horse Shows, Fairs & Sales
The Horse Show - The Dublin Horse Show, at the beginning of August, is a glittering social occasion and a showcase for Irish horses, while its equine competitions, culminating in the Aga Khan Trophy, make wonderful spectator sport. Accommodation can be difficult to find in Dublin at this time, but the Hidden Ireland House at No 31 is within walking distance of the Ballsbridge showground, where the Horse show takes place, and provides comfortable lodging in the heart of Georgian Dublin.
Sales - In addition to Goffs, Tattersalls hold bloodstock sales at Fairyhouse (just north of Dublin) while there are important sport horse sales at Cavan and Goresbridge, as well as the great week-long October fair at Ballinasloe.
Shows - There are shows all over the country. Among the most popular is the Connemara Pony Show in Clifden, County Galway, where Connemara Pony lovers from all over the world congregate on the third Thursday in August, followed the next day by a pony auction for those who have not managed to do their trading in the traditional Irish way. This involves spitting on your hand and slapping the purchaser's hand to seal the deal!
The Quay House in Clifden, elegantly decorated and superbly run, is right beside the harbour yet within walking distance of the showground, while Emlaghmore Lodge and Delphi Lodge (within eight and twenty miles respectively) enable visitors to escape from the bustle of Clifden at its busiest, and loose themselves in the peaceful Connemara countryside.
Trail Riding
A number of Hidden Ireland houses can arrange riding for their guests. This can take the form of a quiet ride in the country or on the beach, or tuition for the less experienced, but at Tyrella in County Down, David Corbett has his own polo ground with chukkas and lessons are available, and you can even bring your own horse!
The 'Connemara Trail' is a fifty mile trek from Galway to Clifden along part of the old disused railway track, and on old bridle paths through the Connemara Mountains. The journey takes a week and there are often over thirty riders. It passes the gate of Emlaghmore Lodge and, with sufficient notice guests can arrange to join the group for a day or two when it is in the area. Sometimes this involves swimming the horses off the beach or riding up the side of a mountain, with fabulous views out to the Aran Islands. A similar arrangement can be made at Mount Vernon to join the Burren trail ride.