On the 16th December 1756 George II
granted to the Earl of Donegal the right
to hold
'two
fairs yearly at the Town and Lands of
Ballyclare'
'yielding
therefore yearly to us the sum of thirteen
shillings and four pence for the said
fairs .. to be paid forever'
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At first the
fairs were markets for animals and goods
but as they grew to four in a year it was the
May and November fairs which became the most
important as it was there that the farmers hired
their labouring men and servant girls for the next
six months. The May Fair was traditionally held on
a Tuesday in late May but in the nineteenth century
such was the demand for horses that the Monday was
given over to the trade. One dealer alone brought a
hundred horses each year while others came into
Ballyclare riding bareback and leading a string of
horses. Representatives of cavalry regiments from
all over Europe came to buy as the reputation of
the fair spread,
Local farmers
also needed horses to plough and transport their
produce while the nearly city of Belfast sought
carriage horses and sturdy animals to pull carts.
Any of the bakeries alone would need a hundred
animals. The great days of the horse fair ended
with the First World War and growing mechanisation.
However in recent years the Main Street again
echoes with the sound of horse being exercised and
dealers shouting. This is not just a colourful
revival of part of the town's cultural heritage but
a real market where bidding is keen. It is now the
centerpiece of the week of festivities which is the
May Fair Festival. Today's sales are for leisure
purposes but in many ways the sights and sounds are
those of a past century.
The Charter
which began it all is preserved in the Public
Record Office
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