A donkey derby to bray about at the Mounthill Fair

The fair had been held the previous Saturday and was said to have “compared favourably with its heyday”.

Dealers with the most ani mals for sale were Robert McDowell, chairman of the fair committee, and Graham Gault who sold “several hundred sheep, a few horses and over 20 ponies as well as some donkeys”.

A horse sold for £62 10s; a sheep cost from £2 10 s and £5 10 s and a ram cost £13.

Also on sale was fruit, “yellow man”, ice cream and confectionery.

One salesman said it was a “very interesting day” but he would have liked “some more women in attendance as they were better buyers”.

A rope salesman kept the crowd entertained with jokes .

One of the main highlights of the day was a donkey derby, which had a big entry and caused “the usual excitement” with riders being thrown or falling from their mounts.

Mounthill Fair is approximately 300- years- old.

It is one of the oldest horse fairs in Ireland and is held in October.