School: Athlone (Mixed) (roll number 16092)
- Location:
- Athlone, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: T. Hunter
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0748, Page 118
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- XML School: Athlone (Mixed)
- XML Page 118
- XML “Local Fairs”
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- The local fairs are held in the town on the streets and in the fair-green. Buyers go out to the farmers houses and buy the animals. This is still done. There are two fairs that were held long ago that are not held now in this district. They are Kilgarvan and Ballinahown; they were stopped because there were fights called "faction fights" and people were killed.Tolls are still paid for animals. For a horse, mare or gelding fourpence is paid; for a colt, filly mule or ass threepence is paid, for a bull or a bullock a steer or a heifer twopence is paid, for a calf or pig a penny is paid, and for a sheep a halfpenny is paid. A man named Mr Blaney collects the tolls at the fair-green gate.When animals are sold luck money is always given:- it is mostly called a luck penny.When a bargain has been made the men slap hands.The animals when sold is marked with a scissors or raddle or a piece of(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Mr English
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Athlone, Co. Westmeath
