Lammas Fair Committee is set to return

DUP councillor Davy McAllister called for the committee to be reinstated.

The comments came in the run up to this year’s Fair which was again hailed a success, given the vast numbers of people who flock to Ballycastle.

But there are a number of issues surrounding aspects of the Fair, which councillors believe a dedicated Fair Committee will be able to examine.

Cllr McAllister had asked: “Why does this Council not take ownership of the Fair?”

Regarding a call from SDLP councillor Donal Cunningham for the Council to pay close attention to this year’s event with a view to improving the Fair in future, Cllr McAllister said it was the SDLP who were responsible for the ending of the previous Lammas Fair Committee.

He said the Council needs to take “ownership” of the Fair.

Cllr McAllister said Cushendall can run a week long festival and “surely Moyle Council can run the Lammas Fair as the lead town in the area.”

Sinn Fein councillor Cara McShane said they all knew the Fair “runs on a wing and a prayer”.

The one opponent of the Fair out of the 15 Moyle councillors had another ‘go’ this time round.

Independent representative Randal McDonnell said: “I know where I would put the bloody Lammas Fair. It is an obscenity, it is an infliction. The sooner it is shut the better. We should order all councillors to attend it to see how awful it is.”

Independent councillor Seamus Blaney said the Fair seemed to moving further down the town of Ballycastle towards the seafront “and if the sea wasn’t there it would probably end up in Rathlin”.

The Council is also to to write to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development regarding the potential for legislation for animals at the Lammas Fair.