Maam Cross Fair, October 2014 - Lurgan or Shindilla Townland (6)
Maam Cross Fair
The fair is held on the day after the October Bank Holiday Monday (Lá Saoire I mí Dheireadh Fómhair). The historic one-day fair stems from the tradition of local farmers selling their surplus produce at the crossroads in order to supplement the meagre living which they eked from the rocky Connemara landscape.
The event is centred on the disused filling station adjacent to Peacocke’s Hotel and extends northwards along the R336 for several hundred metres. There are the usual items for sale including sheep, hens, ducks and turkeys. There are fast food stalls, clothing stalls, bric-a-brac stalls and a fishmonger selling dillisk and carrageen. However it was obvious that the main activity was the buying and selling of Connemara ponies and associated equestrian tack
The road north from Maam Cross to Maum Bridge is closed between 7.30 am and 6.00pm, even to local traffic. Vehicles were parked along both verges of the N 59 for several hundred metres in both directions and south along the R336.