Poem – ‘Memories of the Fair of Muff’

This poem was written by well known local poet Paddy Fitzsimons (RIP).  Paddy was a very talented writer who wrote many poems during his life with most of them reflecting his life experiences of people who impacted on his life, his family and places he loved to visit.  This poem captures the ambience of Muff Fair.

Memories of the Fair of Muff

Written by: Paddy Fitzsimons, Muff

We’ve read of fairs in many towns
With traditions of the past
When there was amusement and enjoyment,
But! Alas they’re fading fast.
There’s Puck and Ballintubber, Ballinasloe and Ballyduff,
But there’s still one carries on in style—
That’s the Patron Fair of Muff

We’re told that way back in the olden days,
It went on for a week or more.
There was a day for different livestock,
There was tents and beer galore.
But now it’s just for horses,
We’ve only got one tent.
There’s sale for no other livestock,
It’s just a one day event.

How we would watch the travelling folk,
They come a week before the fair
They’d know well that from the year before,
That there place was always there.
With piebalds and horse drawn caravans
What a lovely site to see,
You’d pay well at present for a jaunt on one,
Around Killarney or Tralee.

We had the Teelan’s and the Connors,
The McDonaghs and the Quinns,
And the once famed – Margaret Barry,
It was the first place I heard her sing.
They’d have music and a sing-song.
And tell u stories – Oh! so tall,
Sure, we’d join them round the camp fire,
As the shades of night would fall.

And when the big day would arrive,
The horses lined the roads,
There was Irish draughts and hunters,
And the big ones to pull the heavy loads,
Stock and money would change hands
They’d be vetted up and down,
Then they’d tell you to lead him out there now,
And give a wee jog up and down.
Now the owner might just get a bit fed up,
And say now that’s enough
Sure, you couldn’t get a wrong one,
Not in all the Fair of MUFF.