When we originally discovered the pictures of the May Fair in the 1880s we decided that a way must be found to make them available to the public.They are reproduced by kind permission of Andrew Gill. the collector who found them. At first we considered a calendar but finally decided to produce a book. The result is "Fairs and Festivals" which was published at the launch of the 1999 May Fair Festival. It tells the story of Ballyclare May Fair from the time of George II when he granted permission for fairs to be held in Ballyclare two and a half centuries ago to the modern May Fair Festival.

It also documents the creation of the "Mary from Dungloe" International Festival and how the two festivals have come together in a unique co operation. This cover shows Main Street in Ballyclare during the Fair, girls on a float in the modern festival and Daniel O'Donnell representing the Donegal link.

Copies of the book may be ordered from

Newtownabbey Borough Council,Mossley Mill, Newtownabbey

028 9034 0000