Every year in Killorglin, Co. Kerry a group of people go up into the mountains to catch a goat for the annual “Puck Fair.” A young girl from the 6th class is named “Queen” and she is the one who will crown the goat. The goat is put in a cage in the middle of the town, and this signifies the start of the merry making. There is a horse fair on the first day (August 10) and a cattle fair on the second (August 11) with singing, dancing, etc. continuing on into the night. There are amusement rides for the children and pubs are open until midnight.
There are several theories as to the origins, the most popular being that while Oliver Cromwell’s “Roundheads” were pillaging they routed a herd of goats that were grazing. The animals fled but the he-goat or “Puck” broke away and lost the herd. The other goats headed for the mountains but “Puck” went to Killorglin. His arrival in a semi-exhausted state alerted the townspeople of the danger, and they were able to protect themselves. In recognition of this the people decided to have a festival in his honor.
Actually, there is no written record stating when the fair started but a fair can be traced back to a charter from 1603 by King James granting legal status to a fair in Killorglin (before Oliver Cromwell).
It has also been linked to pre-Christian celebrations of a fruitful harvest, and the male goat was a pagan symbol of fertility, like the pagan god Pan.
Whatever the origins, the fun lasts for three days when the goat will be “crowned” and then released. Source: www.puckfair.ie
