2020 is the year of the staycation and there is no doubt that Ireland has many stunning attractions to offer, many of which have recently reopened their doors to visitors. Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Walled Gardens in the heart of Connemara is one such place. Having been closed to the public for nearly four months, the team at Kylemore Abbey were more than happy to welcome guests once more.

In a normal year, Kylemore Abbey would host some 500,000 visitors, with 90% of them coming from overseas. Having opened their doors on Friday, 3 July executive director Conor Coyne told Irish Country Living that they have been “pleasantly surprised” by the number of visitors arriving over the last few weekends.

Coyne says double the amount of Irish people are visiting than in previous years, giving the team hope that the 2020 season still has room to be a success.

Last year, the most visited tourist attraction in the west of Ireland added another string to its bow with the addition of a herd of Connemara ponies.

“Our great friends across the road, Connemara National Park have a herd of Connemara ponies and we felt it was a great opportunity for us to showcase the Connemara pony to all of the international visitors we have every year,” Coyne explained.

The Connemara Pony Breeders Society (CBPS) provided some signage to Kylemore Abbey which tells the story of the Connemara pony. Visitors will then get to see the ponies in the flesh in their natural environment, and Coyne hopes this will spark an interest and encourage visitors to further explore the world of the Connemara pony.

Coyne is more than delighted with the decision to add the herd of ponies to their grounds, saying: “They are the perfect pony to have on an estate like this because they are so even-tempered and pleasant. They’re great with international visitors and children alike.

“The ponies’ paddock is situated just outside the Victorian Walled Gardens, with Diamond Hill in the background so it is a very picturesque place.”

The herd consists of five broodmares, two yearlings and three foals. The team came up with Peaceful as the Kylemore Abbey stud prefix so any foals born on the estate will be named with this prefix.

“Peaceful links back to the Benedictine nuns who are still on the estate but it also eludes to the fact that this is a 1,000-acre estate where people can get away from the busy modern world and have their own bit of peace and quiet to themselves here,” Coyne said.

Visitors to Kylemore Abbey will be encouraged to get out in the fresh air and explore the wider estate, which has blossomed beautifully over the last number of weeks, walk the beautiful tree-lined and lakeshore paths before seeing some beautiful Connemara ponies and foals along the way. All of this is done with the greatest consideration of public health guidelines to ensure the safety of visitors and staff.

Details of opening hours can be found on www.kylemoreabbey.com.