Day: August 29, 2023

Dia is Mhuire díobh go léir a cáirde and welcome to my Report.

With September on our doorstep and children about to return to school,’tis hard to believe that the year is moving on so fast. It’s a time when in the past we looked forward to the annual September Fair. The very thought of it almost raises the excitement within me as I recall crowds and the carnival in O’Leary’s Lawn (now the Town Park) and loud speakers on all the poles in the town blaring all the lovely music and songs that were popular at the time. Mighty stallions would be paraded through the streets with strong men at both side, reins in hand to keep them under control. People and animals all mingled together, there was no mention of Health & Safety and yet I can’t recall that there was ever any serious injury. People were naturally vigelant back then because they lived with danger all the time. There were no proper fences to keep animals under control, so they broke out and galloped free sometimes where people especially children were and had only a split second to jump to safety. Where some repairs were in progress boards with nails sticking out of them were another hazard. Many the unsuspecting passer by stepped on one at their peril. An experience I had more than once. Such things made us very watchful, very clever and the dangers at the Fair bore no threat to us at all. Beforehand there would be a Carnival Dance to choose a Carnival Queen and once chosen she would be free to elect her own ladies in waiting, four of them. This was in the day when there were no mobiles phones, nor on-line shopping and outfits were a lot less fashionable than they are today. So you can imagine the excitement in the run-up to the parade. We waited with bated breath to see the beautiful gowns , worn by her ladyship and her attendants. How we wished it could be us, but it was never to be. Pony trotting was very popular back then, the course was from town to Kilmeedy Bridge. The driver beautifully dressed whip in hand was a sight to behold and the clip clop of the nimble hooved  beauty was music to our ears and a gymkana on the lawn was also a crowd puller.

[read more …] “Eily’s Report – 29th August”