Colonel William Hall Walker established The National Stud Gardens in the 1900's. He believe you could tell how successful a horse could become on the racetrack by knowing their birthdate. The grounds are quite pretty with flower gardens, water falls, serene bridges and lots of places to just sit and enjoy the countryside.
Our tour explained how important breeding (covering) was throughout Irish history. Currently their top stallion is Invincible Spirit. Invincible Spirit was seeking protection from the rain so not in the picture. He has fathered many champion racehorses around the globe. At auction his offsprings can sell for millions!
I'm sure the gardens would be prettier if you were lucky enough to visit on a day when it wasn't windy and rainy...though that's quite a trick in Ireland. Though I did see a fairly sunny day in pictures when Queen Elizabeth was visiting. She's a lover of horses, has been her whole life and has been here multiple times.
There's a nice gift shop and tea house to enjoy after your tour. The hot pot of tea was just the ticket in an effort to dry off and warm up before heading back to our Insight Tour Coach.
