Fairs or markets were essential to the rural economy of Ireland for centuries, serving as the backbone of farm commerce and community life. Farmers relied on these markets to sell their livestock, crops, and other goods, ensuring a steady income for their families. Unlike today’s marts, which operate regularly, these days were held on specific dates that farmers and locals knew by heart. The traditions surrounding Fair Days were deeply ingrained, shaping the rhythm of rural life and the economy of market towns across the country.

The Importance of Fairs in Rural Ireland

For generations, farm incomes were dependent on the seasonal sale of livestock and crops, and fairs were the primary venues for these transactions. Some fairs specialized in cattle, sheep, or pigs, while others were more general, selling hay, turf, potatoes, turkeys, geese, and livestock..Local produce such as butter, eggs, bread would be sold. Also available would be linen and weaving and basketry depending on the location. The biggest Fair Days were in February and October, with December hosting the largest fowl markets, as farmers prepared for the Christmas season. Markets were weekly events, Fair Days were twice a year and a much bigger affair.  The Fair lasted for 2 days and had a livestock sale and a grain sale. The most important part of the Fair was as a place to find employment, either on the land or the local factory. Buyers would arrive from the big towns and cities to get the best local goods.

Fair days followed a strict calendar, with each town maintaining its long-established tradition. Farmers prepared their stock for these events, ensuring their animals were in prime condition for sale. The fairs also had a significant impact on local businesses, injecting money into market towns as farmers, cattle dealers and jobbers spent their earnings in local shops, pubs, and banks. Politicians and political figures used them in times of unrest and turmoil to broadcast their message.  With many people not being able to read or write and no radio to pass the news around the country, the market and Fair Days became very important.  The Anti-Tithe protests were organised this way to great affect. 

The Atmosphere of a Fair Day

Fairs were bustling affairs, each type of fair bringing its unique energy and atmosphere. Pigs and fowl were brought to town in carts drawn by horses, or donkeys. These smaller fairs were lively but more contained, with the animals safely confined in creels.

Sheep and cattle fairs, on the other hand, were much larger and more chaotic. Farmers often arrived the night before to claim traditional selling spots, considered both strategic and lucky. Sheep needed to be penned to prevent them from wandering, so wooden hurdles were set up in front of houses and shops, forming long rows of makeshift enclosures. It was not uncommon for Main Street in a market town to be lined for half a mile with sheep pens, creating an incredible spectacle.

Cattle fairs had a different dynamic. Since cattle could be kept in groups without pens, they filled every street in town. Though it may have looked like chaos to an outsider, there was an underlying order, with each farmer carefully minding their herd. Boys, often exhausted from walking the cattle up to 10 miles through the night, were left in charge while their fathers negotiated with jobbers.

By the early hours, the fair was in full swing. Buyers and sellers haggled over prices, sealing deals. Cattle jobbers moved  through the crowds, purchasing large numbers of animals.  While some towns had weighbridges, most transactions were completed without weighing the animals, relying instead on the buyer’s keen eye.

The Economic and Social Impact of Fairs

Beyond the buying and selling of livestock, fairs were crucial to the economic and social life of rural Ireland. A toll was collected on all sales, with agents stationed at town exits to collect fees that contributed to local council funds. The clean-up operation afterward was extensive, with the town’s fire brigade hosing down streets covered in the aftermath of the fair. 

Cattle destined for markets in England were driven to railway stations, where they were loaded onto cattle cars and shipped via Dublin to Holyhead. Some jobbers spent weeks traveling from fair to fair, buying livestock for export to markets in cities in England.

As the morning gave way to noon, deals were finalized, money exchanged hands. Farmers settled their debts in town, visiting the grocer, drapery, hardware shop, and bank before heading to the pub for a well-earned drink. Their wives, who arrived later in the day shopped for household necessities.

The Decline of Traditional Fairs

The advent of livestock marts in the 1970s marked the decline of these traditional fairs. The convenience of marts, open most days of the week and offering regulated, weight-based sales, gradually replaced the need for Fair days. Improved transportation and refrigeration also led to the demise of fowl markets. With these changes, a centuries-old way of life faded, leaving modern generations with little understanding of the vibrant and essential role Fairs once played in Irish rural society.

Conclusion

The Fairs in Ireland were more than just commercial transactions; they were social and cultural events that shaped the rhythms of rural life. They brought excitement, economic opportunity, and community spirit to towns and villages across the country. Though they have largely disappeared, their memory lives on in the stories of those who experienced the lively, bustling fair days of the past. Today’s marts may be more efficient, but they lack the tradition, and sense of occasion that once made Irish Fairs an unforgettable part of rural life.

(photo courtesy of Waterford City Library Services - Ballybricken Fair)

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