With a draughty corrugated barn for a pavilion and a mobile burger bar for a restaurant, Lady’s Day at one of Ireland’s oldest horse fairs is definitely no Ascot.
But the 50 women who defied the elements of the Ballabuidhe Horse Fair and Races could surely give such an august institution a run for its money in the fashion stakes.
‘Dressed to the nines’, the women joined the 1,300 or so harness racing devotees in a small, secluded corner of rain-soaked West Cork, following in the muddy footsteps of horse lovers since around 1614.
Although it started as a horse fair in the 1600s, it only developed into a race meeting in the last century or so. Once a two-week event, it is now held over four days.
In the past, there could be as many as 5,000 horses at the fair, with soldiers from rival European armies buying horses and drinking together in the local pubs. The number of horses has now dwindled to nearer 60, and the armies have long since gone home.
But despite the growing popularity of the opening Lady’s Day, with Sunday being its best attended yet, numbers attending the festival are down, and it’s not just the weather to blame.
Tens of thousands of people attended in years gone by, but this lower-than-normal turnout is, according to locals, due to a spillover effect of the covid-19 pandemic. Before covid, there would be as many as 4,000 on the opening day.
Seamus O’Sullivan, who organised the event’s ceili with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Eireann, and has been doing so for the past 15 years, said: “We struggle with the rain every year, but we just get on with it.
“Covid has changed everything, not just in Dunmanway but everywhere. The circuit was broken and there was a huge void left after it.
“People changed their habits and they got used to new habits, like not going out.”
Asked if there is still a future for the event, he replied: “Well, I am doing my best to keep it going.”
John Lynch, another one of the organisers, said: “The festival is about people coming home and falling back into meeting people.
“People do travel from further afield to get here, from Australia, America, the UK and Europe. There were a lot of French people this year too.”
After the racing finals, one of the highlights is the pony raffle.
If you win the pony but are unable to keep the animal, you get 500 litres of heating oil instead. Another option is to sell the pony and take your chances with the buyer.
