School: Smithstown, Castlecomer (roll number 14626)
- Location:
- Smithstown, Co. Kilkenny
- Teacher: Bríd Ní Mhórdha
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0865, Page 278
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- XML School: Smithstown, Castlecomer
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- XML “The Local Fairs”
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- Fairs are always held in the towns nowadays. Buyers often did transact business in the country, and did so at cross-roads and at farmer's houses. It is still carried on. There are no local traditions of fairs held on hills. In our own local town there is no fair-place, so the fairs are always held on the streets and it is so in other towns. There is no toll paid on cattle sold. When an animal is sold, "luck-money" is practically always given. The parties concerned show their agreement by striking hands or by spitting on the "luck-money"
When the animals have been sold they are sometimes marked by paint, and more times they are marked by mud. When the animal is sold the halter or rope or whatever it may be is sometimes given to the buyer. The May-fair and the November-fair are the greatest fairs of the year. There are no special fairs held for sheep, bonhams, or horses, they all have to wait for the one fair. Oftentimes buyers and sellers make the bargains along the road on their way to(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Thomas Comerford
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 48
- Occupation
- Miner
- Address
- Smithstown, Co. Kilkenny
