Puck Fair: Four hundred or so years on, Kerry festival still draws the crowds

Irish Examiner

16 hours ago

With issues around animal welfare arising almost every year, it is surprising there is still even a Puck Fair with a live puck.
However, with most welfare concerns addressed in one way or another, this year saw — yet again — a male goat being 'crowned' then 'dethroned' in this year's annual festival in Kerry.
While it has the reputation of being Ireland's oldest fair, dating back to 1613, some say the actual 'tradition' of crowning the goat as king for three days and three nights could be a more recent phenomenon.
However, in keeping with more recent traditions associated with the Kerry festival, this year has not been without its own controversy.
This year's controversy: Late-night drinking
While in previous years, it was the welfare of the chosen goat king that provided the controversy, this year's issues centred instead around the less regal matter of whether or not Killorglin pubs could serve alcohol until 3am during the festival.
A district court judge turned down an application by 14 publicans for a special exemption on August 10, 11, and 12 after gardaí had objected, saying they couldn't spare the resources to police late-night drinking in the town.
As a result, Judge David Waters set closing time as 2am, and remarked the fair was 'not all about drink'.
However, the publicans appealed and won, with circuit court Judge Terence O'Sullivan saying he saw no grounds to shorten Puck Fair's traditional drinking time of 3am.
After all, it was noted, festivalgoers used to be able to drink all day ... and all night.
But, like other traditions dating back a few years, fair organisers have had to adapt — something the fair does well.
Killorglin Pipe Band entertain the crowds assembled on the streets of the Kerry town during 'The Scattering', on the the last day of the Puck Fair festival. Picture: David Ryan
Despite the controversy around the goat in recent years, it has done nothing to dent the popularity of the festival.
Far from it.
It is, if the latest figures are anything to go by, almost as popular as ever, with those attending up by at least 10,000 compared with 2023.
A suggestion by animal rights activists that the live goat should be replaced by a wood carving paraded through the street? That has been given short shrift, not just by the organisers but also by its more ardent supporters. Local councillor Johnny Healy-Rae said:
It is not going to happen, and the idea that Puck would be a wood carving is just a joke.
"I'd be very disappointed if that was the case, especially after all the committee has done to please everyone over the years.
'Honestly though, the fuss around the goat has been unreal. If anything, the goat is better treated than a human. It is well rested, well fed and watered, and it has a vet checking up on it every hour or so. These days, you'd be lucky if you get to see your GP in a day, let alone two.
A traditional music session during 'The Scattering' on Tuesday, the last of three days of the Puck Fair festival in Killorglin, Co Kerry. Picture: David Ryan
'In all the years I have been going to the Puck Fair, I have never seen a stressed goat. Besides, if a goat was unhappy, you would know about it. They'd be kicking and going mad.
'I do wonder where the animal rights activists are when goats get stuck in the mountains in the pouring rain or snow in winter? You don't see them bothering too much about the goats' welfare then, do you?'
A festival spokesperson said of this year's Puck Fair: 'Numbers are up this year around 10,000, due to a number of factors, the appeal of the festival, the fact that the festival opening fell on a Sunday and the gorgeous summer weather we're having.
'The Puck Fair stand and enclosure have been the same for over a decade or more. The goat is still looking as fine as ever and is his usual good-looking self. He makes two appearances on gathering day and scattering day.
The scenes last Sunday in Killorglin as a wild mountain goat was paraded through the town ahead of his coronation as King Puck by Robyn O'Shea, Queen of Puck Fair, on 'Gathering Day'. Picture: Don MacMonagle
'The goat remains in an enclosure and is tended to regularly by a vet as dictated by the Department of Agriculture, and is tagged.'
There was a small amount of controversy in 2023 when it emerged the goat had not been tagged properly, in one ear, instead of both ears.
The highlights of the first day — or, as it is known, gathering day — on Sunday this year included the coronation of King Puck, the parade, and the horse fair.
The coronation parade these days sees the goat being led up the main street, surrounded by security, before he is put into an enclosure and hauled up onto a large white-framed stand, about 50ft from the ground for all to see in the centre of the town.
'The Scattering' took place on Tuesday, the final day of the Puck Fair festival in Killorglin, Co Kerry. Picture: David Ryan
He is up there for about an hour, and then brought down — in a break with tradition that started in 2023.
Before then, the goat would be up in his enclosure throughout the entire festival.
That changed in 2022, when the Puck Fair goat was — for the first time in living memory — repeatedly taken down from its enclosure at the top of the 50ft high stand due to the unusually high temperatures that summer.
The fact that he was up there in the first place led to something of a public outcry due to the fact that there was a status yellow high-temperature warning in place for the entire country at the time.
90-year-old teacher and singer Seán Ó Sé sang his classic song 'An Poc Ar Buile' on gathering day last Sunday at the beginning of Puck Fair in Killorglin, County Kerry. Picture: Don MacMonagle
Animal rights campaigners decried the practice and demanded it be stopped, but that obviously hasn't happened.
What happened instead was that the welfare of the goat was reviewed by Department of Agriculture officials after they received 175 animal welfare complaints.
The Animal Rights Action Network has dubbed the involvement of a live goat a 'shameful and ridiculous spectacle of a time gone by'.
The second day of this year's festival saw a variety of various attractions, including puppet shows, a fancy dress competition, a bonny baby competition, and the famous Alchemy Arts Stilt Walkers.
On the last day of the festival, King Puck was briefly returned to his enclosure on the stand before being dethroned, and the festival closed with a midnight fireworks display.
Also known as scattering day, the day featured a cattle fair on the outskirts of the town.
On the prospect of King Puck ever being replaced with a wood carving — or, as has also been mooted, a robot goat — the last word goes to the festival spokesperson.
'The goat has been making an appearance at the Puck Fair festival for the past 400 years and will continue to do so for the next 400 and beyond,' she said, reassuringly for those who fear any more breaks in tradition.