School: Leamh-choill
- Location:
- Drumsillagh, Co. Roscommon
- Teacher: Cáit Ní Ghadhra
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0232, Page 072
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- XML “The Local Fairs”
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- The local fairs are held in the towns of Boyle, Leitrim and Carrick-on-Shannon. Buyers never transact business in the country. In the town of Carrick-on-Shannon the fair is held on the street. In Boyle it is held on the "Fair-Green. In Leitrim it is held on the fair green and on the street. A toll of sixpence per beast is charged if they are sold.
When a bargain has been made the parties concerned show their agreement by striking hands. Luckmoney is given on all cattle sold. The parties concerned include the luckmoney in the bargain. When the cattle are marked the bargain can not be broken. They are marked with mud, on the flank. The seller does not give away the halter.
The great fairs are the 3rd of January, the 25th of March and the 25th of November, in Boyle. These fairs are the principal ones for horses.
Long ago a fair was held in Cootehall in a place now called the paddocks. It was held under the boundary wall of the Bawn. It was held frequently, but when people began to attend the fairs of Boyle and Leitrim it died out. Buyers did not attend from outside districts because they could not get enough of cattle as the supply was not equal to the demand.
