School: Castletown, Mountrath (roll number 2731)
- Location:
- Castletown, Co. Laois
- Teacher: Bean Uí Mhearnáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0826, Page 005
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- XML School: Castletown, Mountrath
- XML Page 005
- XML “Castletown Fair”
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- Castletown FairCastletown is a beautiful village on the banks of the Nore. In the eastern part is a triangular green, which at present is used as a play-field for the children and youths of the locality. Formerly an annual fair was on this green on the 29th June. It lasted for a week. Besides the ordinary transactions that took place in the sale of horses, cattle, sheep and pigs, there were fifty-two tents erected selling, beer, porter and whiskey. Twenty fires for boiling and serving out ham, pig's heads, and crubeens and as many standings, where "Peggies-leg", "ca ca", sugar barley, sweets, and ginger bread were disposed of.
Musicians of all kinds came for the occasion. Ladies came dressed up in all their finery to take part in the dancing and festivities.
The men arrived armed with black thorn sticks, as it was custom to hold faction fights on these days. All petty quarrels that occurred for miles around during the years, were fought out at the fair of Castletown.(continues on next page)
