Published on Wednesday3rdJuly2019

Gift of Connemara Pony marks new North South Co-operation in Conservation of Native Breeds

20190703 Connamara

The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has today welcomed the participation of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in a North South initiative which will  increase collaboration in the conservation efforts of rare breeds.

Connemara National Park – which is managed by the Department’s NPWS - has today gifted Connemara Pony, Park Sarah, to Tannaghmore Rare Breeds Animal farm in Craigavon in exchange for SilverwoodSunflower lll (the third), an Irish Moiled Heifer, a rare breed.

Tannaghmore Farm is the only Rare Breed Survival Trust approved farm in Ireland, and is playing an important role in the conservation of a number of breeds native to the British Isles, which are in need of conservation, including Irish Moiled cattle. Tannaghmore Farm, as part of Armagh City, Banbridge, Craigavon Borough Council, also use conservation grazing with native breeds to manage for biodiversity on a number of ecologically important Council properties. Significant expertise has been acquired in managing for certain species and habitat types, including in the control of certain invasive species.  Tannaghmore Farm will now display the iconic Connemara Pony to the public and commence a breeding programme.

Connemara National Park has six Connemara Ponies and has become an important part of the breeding of these iconic Connemara ponies since the late President of Ireland, Erskine Childers, presented a herd to the State.