Gardaí call for name suggestions for new horse in mounted unit

The Garda Mounted Unit is calling on the public to name its newest member - and Horsey McHorseface is already a contender.

People are being asked to send their suggestions to the Garda Twitter page, with the winner being announced next Monday.

Sergeant Brendan Duffy of the Garda Mounted Unit said the horse is young and mischievous.

"This is a new horse we have after completing his six-week trial," Sergeant Duffy said.

"He's an eight-year-old Irish draft gelding and he hails from the midlands, near Monasterevan. He's a typical Irish draft: he's very intelligent, he's inquisitive, he learns quite quickly. He's also a little bit mischievous in a good sense. He's interested in learning new skills."

Sergeant Duffy said they are hoping to give the horse a name from Irish mythology, as they have done for other horses in the unit.

"What we're looking for is the public to name [the horse], similar to the other horses we have attached to the unit. The criteria for that is that they're named after Irish mythological characters. For example, some of the names that we have already are Setanta, Boru, Lír, Culann, Cú, so something along those themes."

Some of the suggestions so far include Dóchas, Lugs Branigan and Horsey McHorseface.