Fettercairn
Youth Horse Project
Horses have traditionally played an important part
in Irish culture. They still hold an important place
in the hearts of many inner city and suburban young
people. As recently as 1995, horses ran free in this
neighborhood of suburban Dublin and many families
kept ponies and horses in their yards. It was then
that the Control of Horses Act was enacted and families
were required to stable their animals, something many
families simply could not afford.
Kathy has worked with
Fettercairn for six years, she is grooming “Bertie” a horse who was
given as a gift to the project from Ireland Funds’ Board
Director Bill Vincent.
In Tallaght, an impoverished
suburb southwest of Dublin, a group of residents decided
to address the lack of amenities in their neighbourhood
by establishing the Fettercairn Youth Horse Project.
Spearheaded by two inspired pioneers in this area,
John Phelan and Noel Rochford, they, along with Tallaght
Youth Services and other socially-minded individuals,
raised the money to erect a state-of-the-art horse
facility to house ponies. It is now one of the most
successful horse facilities in Dublin where individual
riders and groups from local schools have been able
to access training by properly qualified instructors,
something that would not have been possible before.
The standard
of training has been so high that two of the original
children—now over 18—have
been accepted for further training as grooms in the
Irish Army School of Equitation in the McKee Barracks.
Closer to home, the centre now employs Kathy and Colette,
who both live in Tallaght, to run the horse management
section.
In addition to riding instruction, Fettercairn also
provides opportunities for social, personal, educational
and vocational skills for local residents. The project
now has a 20 stable facility on a seven acre site
including an outdoor exercise arena and training rooms.
Fettercairn thrives because it offers a high level
of physical training and puts emphasis on care of
the animals. The fact that graduates of the school
have been so successful in working in the horse industry
underscores this claim. Ireland is on the cusp of
a major and much needed expansion of its horse industry,
both in show-jumping and racing.
The Impact of Your Investment
The Ireland Funds have given 20 grants totalling
over $220,000 to support the Fettercairn Youth
Horse Project.
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An
Instructor's Story 
