School: Tamhnach, Inis
- Location:
- Toonagh, Co. Clare
- Teacher: Proinnsias Gordún
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0613, Page 180
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- XML “The Fair”
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- The most noted fair of Ireland is the fair of Spancell-Hill. Buyers come from the North of Ireland. Horses bought at Spancell-Hill were trained from races and won big stakes. The fair of Spancell-Hill is on the 23rd of June. The custom of the hill fair is to pay a shilling going in with your horse. If you had a blooded horse there is a paddock at the cross of Spancell-Hill where your horse is tried. You also pay another shilling there. If the horse is not suitable you are at the loss of your shilling. If the horse is bought you pay a shilling for a halter. Your horse may be only worth a pound so you have seventeen shillings for yourself.
Another thing about the fair of Spancell-Hill is that there is always a mist of rain on the 24th or 25th of June. About forty years ago it was the driest summer that was seen. That year a public house there sold water when all drinks ran out. When cattle are bought they are sissor-marked or raddled. Some people are very decent about a luck-penney and others are very mean.
- Collector
- Elizabeth Halloran
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Ballygriffy South, Co. Clare
- Informant
- Frank Halloran
- Relation
- Parent
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 43
- Address
- Ballygriffy South, Co. Clare
