Puck Fair

Puck Fair takes place in Killorglin on the same three days every August and is one of the oldest fairs still running in Ireland. A wild mountain goat is caught in the hills, crowned King Puck by a local schoolgirl, and raised on a stand above the square to preside over the fair before being returned to the mountain. The days have names: Gathering Day, Fair Day and Scattering Day. Around the goat there is a horse and cattle fair in the open street, stalls the length of the town, and music running very late. It is a working fair with a tourist crowd on top rather than a re-enactment staged for visitors.

History

The name means "fair of the he-goat". The fair is said to be ancient but can be traced officially only to 1613, when King James I granted a charter giving legal status to the existing fair in Killorglin, and it is held every year from 10 to 12 August (Wikipedia, Puck Fair).

The main sights

• King Puck - the goat crowned and raised above the square for the three days.
• The horse fair - dealing in the street on Gathering Day, early and unstaged.
• The three days - Gathering, Fair and Scattering, each with its own character.
• The street stalls - trading the length of the town, late into the night.

When to go

The dates are fixed at 10 to 12 August whatever day of the week they fall on. Gathering Day is the one for the horse fair, with the crowning in the evening. Book accommodation months ahead or stay in Killarney and travel in. Daytime is family territory; the town changes character considerably after dark.

Before you go

The treatment of the goat has drawn criticism over the years and the arrangements have changed, with shade, water and veterinary checks now part of it, though some visitors still find the whole idea uncomfortable. The town is packed, parking is hopeless, and by late evening the fair is very drink-heavy. Bed prices for those nights roughly triple.

Nearby

Killarney is twenty minutes east; the Ring of Kerry road begins here.

Key facts