Arson Attack Almost Claims The Lives Of 18 Pregnant Broodmares At Rathasker Stud

[Wandering Eyes]

Nearly 20 pregnant broodmares escaped unharmed from what Gardai are treating as the second arson attack on Maurice Burns's Rathasker Stud in County Kildare within the past six months alone. 

The potentially deadly fire broke out shortly after five o'clock last Friday evening with Burns sharing that the quick thinking of his neighbour, who spotted the blaze initially, followed by the help of his staff at Rathasker Stud is to thank for saving the lives of 18 mares and a teaser pony at the stud. 

The destruction left behind from the fire at Rathasker Stud | Maurice Burns

“Our hay sheds were torched on Friday evening,” Burns explained. “We keep a lot of fodder up there but at this time of year we also keep mares in those sheds. Had one of my neighbours not spotted the smoke when he was passing by those sheds at around 5.25pm, it would have been pretty horrific as the mares would have been caught up in the blaze. As soon as he called me, I pegged it over to that yard and, by the time I arrived, the flames had already started to accelerate.”

He added, “The lads in the yard were very good. Some of them had finished work at five o'clock and had gone home to shower or whatever but they came back so quickly when we called them that some of them were nearly in their underpants! We had 18 mares and the teaser in those sheds. If we didn't act fast they were gone, so we're very lucky.”

Rathasker Stud is home to stallions Bungle Inthejungle (GB), Coulsty (Ire) and Gregorian (Ire). It is not the only premises in the Kildare area that has fallen victim to arson and Gardai are said to be appealing for witnesses to the latest blaze that took the fire brigade over nine hours to bring under control.

Maurice Burns | Tattersalls Ireland

Burns said, “The fire brigade came at 6pm and they didn't leave until 3.30am. All of the sheds are gone now and it was fairly traumatic. But it's not the first time that this has happened. It's actually the second time that one of our sheds were torched and the Gardai are following a definite line of enquiry. There have been a good few cases of fires in this area in the past 12 months alone–the late Mrs Weld's house was lying empty and they burned that as well.”

He added, “We were unlucky to lose the fodder in the sheds but it could have been so much worse–we could have lost the pregnant mares as well. We're over 40 years here at Rathasker Stud and never had a problem but, in the past six months, have had two big problems. It's shocking, really. There is insurance for all of this but it's still not nice when it happens.”

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