Trade and Commerce - Fairs

transcribed at

Trade and Commerce - Fairs  [duchas:4389554]

The oldest people in the district remember of a fair being held in Pettigo once a month and a market every Monday.  The fairs that time was used to be thronged so much with cattle especially March, April and September and October that it was often known to take a person on hour to pass through a small street in it.  At the July fair, the Lammas fair, the amount of cattle would be small but every person, young and old, would be there enjoying themselves.  The habit of “treating” was common at all fairs among the old people and it was the custom for a boy to bring his sweetheart for a “treat”.  This custom prevails in Pettigo to this day.  Often match-making was introduced and “matches” settled.  The “hiring fairs” were and are held 20th May and 20th November.  It was often known six and seven hundred servants to attend one of those “hiring fairs”.  That time every house in the district had three and four servants.  About 80 years it was known when the best servant man was hired for the six months for £1-10s or £2.  About 40 years ago wages were from £4 or £5.  The sheep fairs were held in June, August and September and it was known 10,000 sheep to be at one fair in it.