Murphy Rebel, Coral Prince, Coral Misty, Queen Gillian

Coral Prince, Queen Gillian, Coral Misty.

Murphy Rebel, Galway Co.Show Champion ’91, Phillip McMahon

The lineage running through the ponies above mentioned, now no longer with us, is that of the old stallion Murphy Rebel who passed away in 2011 at the age of 34. {If you look at Golden Older Ponies in the Sidebar you will find much information on Murphy Rebel, dating from 2010}. Kingstown Molly 2nd (see above) also carries this bloodline through her sire Coral Prince.

Coral Prince, Dublin supreme 1993 & Bobby Bolger

Coral Prince, Coral Misty and Queen Gillian were all Clifden Supreme Champions and all were by Murphy Rebel.

It seems rather sad now to see that 4 former Clifden Supreme Champions – who between them took 6 of these prestigeous Clifden Sashes between 1993 and 2005 – have  passed away and are now no longer with us. On the bright side it is good to know that their breeding lives on in Connemara still. Coral Prince (Murphy Rebel X Snowdrops Surprise) bred by Michael Devane in Carna and owned by Bobby Bolger, lived from 1989 to 2009.   He had a successful Show-ring career taking the Clifden Supreme Championship in ’93 and he also sired 107 registered progeny.

Glenvalley Gray, rider Mary Duffy, owner Pat Flaherty,’02

The breeding is mainly native pony with a little Arab and Thoroughbred and traces back to Trabane Lass in the late 1940’s.  A stallion son of Coral Prince, Glenvalley Grey (out of Glen Lady 2nd ) died while still in the early stages of a potentially strong performance career. He is shown here having won the Cannonball Trophy Championship at Oughterard in 2002 as a 9 year old.

Coral Misty 1986 to 2011 was by Murphy Rebel and out of Gurteen Misty (going back to a former triple Clifden Champion, her grandam Gloves Misty) and was bred jointly by Bobby Bolger and his brother-in-law Pat Mullen in Roundstone.

Coral Misty’s Jane Tom Conneely at Roundstone

She bred 12 foals: among them was the well-known Show prizewinner Coral Misty’s Jane. 

Coral Misty;s Comic with Declan O’Flynn

A successful young dun stallion son, Coral Misty’s Comic by Coral Dun  (who already has 31 registered progeny) so the Coral Misty line is alive and well in Connemara. Kevin Bolger still holds 5 of Misty’s fillies, which are of real sentimental value to the family, especially since the Bolger family parents, Bobby and Bridget sadly passed away so recently.

Queen Gillian Clifden Champion 1994, 99

Coral King by Coral Dun

Queen Gillian 1989 – 2012 was another Bobby Bolger-owned daughter of Murphy Rebel and was bred by Mary Mulkerrin of Carna in 1989. She too won the Clifden Supreme Accolade with Bobby in 1994 and made it a hat-trick when emerging as Supreme Champion again in 1999. She was to breed 10 foals, 5 are still in Bolger ownership at Derrygimbla, Ballyconneely.  Queen Gillian has a son in New York and a stallion son Coral King by Coral Dun who stands in Kerry.  P.S.  Be sure to get the “Capaillin” due out in early Spring and read much more about Bobby Bolger and the Coral ponies.