The fair is a meeting point of the irish travellers, an itinerant community with strong traditions. Tourism in ballinasloe ballinasloe official town website. Dating back to the 18th century, the ballinasloe horse fair is one of the oldest and largest in europe. Ballinasloe horse fair ballinasloe forum tripadvisor. Ballinasloe town burkes east galwayburkes east galway. Ballinasloe october fair galway travel inspires experiences. The photographic draw of both characters and animals is magnetic. The ballinasloe horse fair s history dates back to the 1700s. Ballinasloe fair is one of the oldest events in ireland and has been held each october for longer than anyone knows. In spite of the cold weather, horse trading is in full swing at the ballinasloe horse fair in county galway. General view of the annual ballinasloe horse fair on. Galway riding holidays in ireland equitrekking travel. Ballinasloe is a town in the easternmost part of county galway in ireland. It is a meeting point for members of the irish traveller community.
History of ballinasloe october fair ballinasloe official. Traditionally, this was the day in the fair with the highest attendance from local rural residents. The annual ballinasloe horse fair, one of the most important social and economic events in the irish travelling community got underway in county galway, ireland today. Ballinasloe trip planner plan your ballinasloe trip. Recently renewed, it immediately has become one of the most visited tourist attractions in ireland. The equestrian days are saturday, sunday and monday.
Young bellew, unfortunately, accompanied his father to this celebrated meeting, well known as the october fair. Ballinasloe is steeped in history, and has been lauded for the architectural character of its fine streetscapes. Pipe smoking dogs, and other memories from past ballinasloe. Ballinasloe attracts 80k for one of europes oldest annual horse fairs.
Nov 10, 2019 the ballinasloe horse fairs history dates back to the 1700s. The annual event attracts up to visitors from all over the world, with many returning to the. The horse fair is held every year in ballinasloe, the second largest town in county galway, and is regarded as one of the most important social and economic events of the towns calendar. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images. Traveller family at ballinasloe horse fair 6th october 1952. An illustrated history of the october fair at ballinasloe in county galway, ireland. The ballinasloe horse fair is one of europes oldest and largest horse fairs, dating back to the 18th century. Ballinasloe has also traditionally proved popular with anglers, particularly those interested in coarse angling. It is europes oldest and largest horse fair, dating back to the 18th century. The author also provides an account of the trading and events that take place at the fair today.
In the early 1900s it evolved into a fair that sold only horses. It is also the main angling centre on the river suck, which is renowned for its pike, bream, and perch fishing in its more sluggish. In october 2017, alan woods travelled to the ballinasloe horse fair also. The horse fair is about much more than just horses with everything from fortune tellers to fairground rides from tofts amusements, who have been bringing their show to ballinasloe for over 100 years. While now predominantly associated with the horse, in its heyday the october fair was an. Ballinasloe ireland ballinasloe galway ballinasloe county. Last year a couple of online papers slated the photographs and some even accused me of supporting animal cruelty. May 30, 2018 a personal view of 200 years of history tag. Rich in history and tradition, the fair had its beginnings in the 1700s.
The fair draws massive crowds for a week of competition alongside dealing in horses and other livestock. Ballinasloe beal atha na sluaigheadh the town of the ford of the hostings, is an ancient town which increased in importance when turlough oconnor, king of connacht, fortified dun leodha dunlo at the beginning of the 12th century. Nov 23, 2017 traveller family at ballinasloe horse fair 6th october 1952. Ballinasloe horse fair is the oldest horse fair in europe and dates back to the 18th century. The ballinasloe october fair is one of the oldest fairs in ireland, at one stage renowned as the largest and greatest in all of europe. A history of the famous ballinasloe october fair and festival. The fair is held over the last eight days of october. Rumble entertainment life europes oldest and largest horse fairs, dating back to the 18th century. Ballinasloe horse fair is one of europes oldest and largest horse fairs, dating back to the 18th century. Need help we all like the idea of saving a bit of cash, so when we found out how many good quality used products are out there we just had to let you know. The book looks at the history of horse fairs, trading and horse breeding reaching back into the ancient past to the high kings and tara in 1200 bc. Theres a saying about the ballinasloe fair, if youre looking for a horse, pony or donkey and if you cant find it at ballinasloe, there. Thousands attend ballinasloe horse fair sun shone on europes oldest horse fair, but sulky races banned for safety reasons mon, oct 5, 2015, 01.
Go west for a horse ballinasloe horse fair is held annually in ballinasloe, the second largest town in county galway, in the western part of ireland. Today, ballinasloe is a prosperous and expanding town on the main galway dublin road and is the main commercial and industrial centre for east galway. Great fair horse dealing at ballinasloe holdstock mark. The great fair ballinasloe mark hodstock horse books. Today the fair is held alongside a festival that attracts up to 80,000 visitors. The ballinasloe horse fairs history dates back to the 1700s. The annual event attracts up to visitors from all over the world, with many returning to the town of ballinasloe year after year for the festival. Welcome to the official facebook page of the oldest and biggest horse fair in europe. Oct 29, 2018 the ballinasloe horse fair tinker king. For instance, even today everyone can come to the fair and bring the horse to sell. Ballinasloe october fair a score of irish murders more from skeffy. This planned layout of the town in the 19th century consisting of wide streets, a market square, fair green, show grounds and town hall can be attributed to william trench, who was conferred with the earldom of clancarty at this time.
Jan 11, 2017 the book looks at the history of horse fairs, trading and horse breeding reaching back into the ancient past to the high kings and tara in 1200 bc. The irish society for protection of animals was on scene, as were gardai. The ballinasloe horse fair is a horse fair which is held annually at ballinasloe, the second largest town in county galway, in the western part of ireland. When the grand canal was built and reached ballinasloe, and with the arrival of trains in ireland, livestock could be transported out of connacht easily and at any time of the year.
We attend this event to capture various events requested by our followers. See more ideas about ireland, horses and ireland pictures. Oct 03, 2017 ballinasloe horse fair 2017 short videoit was a magnificent daycouldnt believe all the beautiful horses. Ballinasloe town is world famous for the annual ballinasloe october fair, it is one of europes oldest horse fairs dating back to the 18th century. A horse fair is normally an annual fair where people buy and sell horses in the united kingdom there are many fairs which are traditionally attended by romani people and travellers who converge at the fairs to buy and sell horses, meet with friends and relations and to celebrate their music, history and folklore many horse fairs are centuries old such as appleby horse fair and the great. The true date of the first fair is not known, but the earliest reference gives a date of may 17th 1757, though the fair was probably taking place long before this. Its history starts in the 18th century, and the fair has preserved most of its authentic traditions. This annual event attracts up to 100,000 visitors from all over the world, with many returning to the town year after year.
The haggling remains unchanged from when the fair first began in the early 1700s. Ballinasloe ww1 heritage group are currently publishing a book with information of those who served in ww1 from ballinasloe and surrounding areas. In recent years there had been talk of police shutting it down after trouble at the event but it was in full swing this last week. A section of the book deals with travellers and the role they played and continue to have in fairs.
The book looks at the history of horse fairs, trading and horse. The ballinasloe horse fair and festival is an event where many travellers meet their future spouse in this touching image, left, a young traveller girl poses next to her pony, while a boy winks. Ballinasloe has also traditionally proved popular with anglers, particularly those interested in. On friday, october 10th, 1873, an advertisement in the irish times detailed a great annual sale as part of ballinasloe horse fair week of weightcarrying hunters, march carriage horses. An annual event since the 1700s, ballinasloe horse fair is one of europes oldest horse fairs. The excitement of the ballinasloe fair gripped noel mullins every year when he. Find the perfect ballinasloe horse fair ireland stock photo. The horse fair and show starts on saturday 3rd october for 8 days. Amazon photos unlimited photo storage free with prime. The faces and chases at irelands oldest horse fair. The ballinasloe agricultural horse show is the oldest show in ireland, if not in europe, it has run continually since the early eighteen hundreds and is older than the rds in. Of ireland flashbak dublin city, dublin ireland, camera photography, historical.
This annual event attracts up to 80,000 visitors from all over the world. The ballinasloe horse fair is thought to be the oldest in europe, always beginning on the saturday before the first tuesday in october. Ballinasloe horse fair 2017 short videoit was a magnificent daycouldnt believe all the beautiful horses. It is one of the largest towns in county galway with a population of approximately 7,200 people, which includes ballinasloe urban and ballinasloe rural. General view of the annual ballinasloe horse fair on october 4, 2015 in galway, ireland. Ballinasloe also lives up to its equestrian heritage and offers a choice of horse and ponyriding facilities, stables and regular show jumping features which normally take place in the show grounds or on the fair green. But noel also focuses on the modern fair with hundreds of photographs included. Oct 08, 2017 ballinasloe horse fair is one of europes oldest and largest horse fairs, dating back to the 18th century. Abandoned cadillac deville will it run after 20 years and drive home. Barriers and parking restrictions are in place and the fair is on the ground already. Rich in history and tradition, the fair had its beginnings in the 1700s when it was mostly an agricultural sale of sheep and cattle.
Ballinasloe horse fair, 1957 for many years, ballinasloe was a convenient central location for the sheep, cattle and horse market. The annual ballinasloe horse fair, one of the most important social and. Thousands attend ballinasloe horse fair the irish times. Oct 28, 2016 md sandyhill candyfloss a 3yo filly by sligo candyman winning the loose jumping at ballinasloe fair 2nd oct 2016. While now predominantly associated with the horse, in its heyday the october fair was an agricultural event of much greater significance, serving as a market for the sale of cattle and sheep by the farmers of the west to their counterparts in the east of ireland. Independent of the unusually severe and unseasonable weather, about 76,000 sheep,300 horned cattle, besides a great number of horses, independent of the regular traffic, have passed over this line of road, going and returning from the ballinasloe fair, which it is needless to say tended greatly to render the roads more difficult for the. The ballinasloe horse fair is a fixture in the lives of the people of south east galway. Md sandyhill candyfloss a 3yo filly by sligo candyman winning the loose jumping at ballinasloe fair 2nd oct 2016.
442 1184 1376 697 1312 30 1350 444 888 120 1024 471 721 748 1043 1519 1122 554 1572 740 1185 312 552 753 1173 1064 634 184 719 447 701 203 1230 197 1373 1185 1037 304 26