School: The Castle (roll number 15873)
- Teacher: O. Bean Uí Dhuinn
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1107, Page 69
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- XML “The Local Fairs”
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- The local fair is held in the village of Newtowncunningham on the first Tuesday of every month, in Mr. Gallaugher's yard, commencing at one o clock. As the fair is held late and there is no danger of the school children running into big droves of cattle they get no holiday on that day.
There is a weighing maching in the yard, and toll used to paid on cattle at the rate of threepence a head collected by Mr. Gallaugher himself, but during the last ten years, farmers did not bother about it.
Dealers and Butchers have been known to go round the farms and buy cattle as they needed them. Usually when a man makes a bargain and pays the money, the seller selects some of the money and gives it back to the buyer. This is called "Luck's money" and is about one tenth of the money.
To show that there is no ill-feeling they spit on the money and slap each other's hands.
Farmers taking cattle to sell must have a mark on them to distinguish them from others. Some men put mud on their flank, others clip some hair from their side, while others put paint on their back or horns.
There are also good fairs in Raphoe, Letterkenny, Burnfoot, Buncrana and Milford, which the men of this district attend.
- Collector
- Rita Irwin
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Drumboy, Co. Donegal
