KILLORGLIN ACTS THE GOAT FOR PUCK FAIR

THE August 10 Horse Fair at Evan’s Field traditionally marks the opening of the Puck festival, but traders at this year’s horse fair told The Kerryman that most of the action at Puck 2017 took place the evening before the official fair day.

Organisers opened the gates to the field at 4pm on Wednesday evening (August 9) to allow traders to set up only. However, traders told The Kerryman that sales also took place on the evening, and the general feeling on the morning of August 10, the official Fair Day, was that the best of the trading had already passed.

“There was a lot of trade yesterday evening, but there’ll be very little happening now today,” Padraig Cournane from Caherciveen said. “Later on you’ll have a load of spectators, but in terms of trade there’ll be next to nothing.

“You couldn’t get them off the trailers fast enough yesterday, and the prices were a lot better than what they’ve been with the last few years.

“What you’ll find as well at any fair is that the best of the horses are being taken out of the country to places like Holland – and with that, the breeding is leaving the country with them.”

John O’Leary from Aghadoe had similar things to say on the morning.

“All the good, flashy horses were here yesterday evening I’m told, and there’s little of the good here today.

“This craic of ‘ the night before’ has been creeping in with the last few years, and the place is nearly empty this morning because of it.

“Back the years, you’d have to be up early and maybe go without a breakfast if you wanted to be here for the best of the animals.”

Denis O’Brien from Castlemaine said: “It’s the same story every fair you go to now, trading always goes on the night before.

“There is trade going on here, yeah, but all the good animals went yesterday evening.”

The Puck Fair Committee said it was not aware of trading on the Wednesday evening.

“There is a telephone number on all eight committee members’ jackets at the fair for people to report what shouldn’t be happening,” a spokesperson said.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin Hi Ho Silver! Gearóid Coughlan, Killarney with trusty steed Silver at Puck Fair on Thursday.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin. Paddy Cronin (left) with Paddy and Padraig Cournane, Cahersiveen at The Puck Fair Horse Fair on Thursday.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin. Figuiring it all out: Tom Prendiville Castleisland, Michael Kearney Ballyhaill, Michael Fitzgerald Abbeyfeale and Ned Prendiville Castleisland at The Puck Fair Horse Fair.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin. Christy Fitzgerald, Killorglin, with Patrick Houlihan, Glencar, with a few Donkeys for sale on Thursday.