School: Baile an Mhóta (roll number 16260)
- Location:
- Ballymote, Co. Sligo
- Teacher: Seán Beárnais
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0183, Page 041
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- XML “Local Fairs”
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- In this town two fairs are held monthly - a pig fair and a cattle fair. The fairs are held on the first Tuesday and on the first Wednesday of each month and on those days there is usually a large influx of jobbers to the town.
There is a big field at one end of the town known as the "fair ground" and the fair is usually held there although sometimes transactions are carried on the streets of the town. When an individual buts an animal he usually mars the beast with a stamp of his or by clipping of some of the hair of the animals skin with a pair of scissors.
The fair usually commences at about five o clock in the morning and is over at about mid-day so that the farmers are free to go home and do the day's work without any hinderance or annoyance.
When an animal is sold the seller usually gives the buyer some small sum of money back known as a "luck penny" by most of the local people.(continues on next page)
