School: Milverton (roll number 15569)

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1. Local Fairs (continued)

   

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   Fairs and accounts of fairs are recorded in the early history of our country. Some of those like Aonac Tailceann appear not only to have been actual markets for livestock but also places of amusements as the earliest records recount games chariot races and other sports which were a usual feature before the close of the actual aonac.

   After the coming of the Normans these fairs resembled more the present day market as only business appears to have been transacted during them. During this period it seems to have been quite common for toll to have been paid by those engaged in the selling of their stock.

   Such fairs were held in Skerries Lusk and Balbriggan until half a century or so ago. The fairs held in Dkerries took place on the 28th April and on the 10th August. These fairs were held on the green in the centre of the town where the monument now stands. Only two fiars were held each year. A toll was paid on each beast sold.

   The money collected as toll appears to have been used in repairing and building the town. Owing, it is said, to faction fights the fairs were abandoned in Skerries and ther is now no fair held in either Skerries or Lusk.

   Balbirggan still continues to hold sales of cattle but a good many things assosciated with the fairs of the past have disappeared such as clothes stalls fruit stalls etc.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. trade
            1. buying and selling (~3,622)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Patrick Murphy

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Killalane, Co. Dublin