Stud News
1st January 2010
Centenary Japanese Gardens 1910-2010
On the grounds of the Irish National Stud Co. Tully, Kildare Town.
Who would have believed that the gardens created by Col. William Hall-Walker on a boggy site on his Tully estate between 1906 to 1910 would one day attract thousands of Visitors from all over the world. Designed by the Japanese landscape gardener Tassa Eida with the help of the farm workers over this four year period, these gardens tell the story of ‘The Life of Man’ from the cradle to the grave and are acclaimed as the most beautiful Japanese gardens in Europe.
Hall-Walker gave the Stud at Tully as a gift to the British Government in 1915, who in return bestowed on him the title of Lord Wavertree. Tully continued as the British National Stud (known locally as Tully Stud) until in 1943 it was handed over to the Irish Government. In 1945 the Irish National Stud Company was formed and it was this company who restored the gardens ( which had fallen into a state of disrepair) to their former glory.
In the early fifties the Irish National Stud Company opened the Japanese Gardens to the Public on a Sunday afternoon, over time this increased to 7 days a week 11 months of the year from February to December. During this time a lot of interest was shown in the Stud so it was decided to open the Stud for guided tours. Then came the Horse Museum, a Visitor centre which houses a Restaurant and a Gift shop. For the Millennium an Irish garden was created on the land known as St. Fiachra’s Garden. All four are now known as the Irish National Stud Visitor Attraction and is rated among the top 20 Visitor Attractions on the island of Ireland.
The Japanese Gardens, on the grounds of the Irish National Stud are situated on the east coast of Ireland 30 miles south of Dublin off the M7 and the R 415. This is a most unique attraction and well worth a visit especially in its Centenary year 2010.
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