{"id":3177,"date":"2016-09-24T20:56:54","date_gmt":"2016-09-24T19:56:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/?p=3177"},"modified":"2016-09-24T20:56:54","modified_gmt":"2016-09-24T19:56:54","slug":"2016-banagher-horse-fair-september-2016-right2water-march","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/2016-banagher-horse-fair-september-2016-right2water-march\/","title":{"rendered":"Marching Again for Water &#8211; 2016 Banagher Horse Fair a Great Success &#8211; Readings from the Pallet postponed &#8211; the annual Pilgrimage to Banagher"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote><p>Around this time of the year there are three things on the agenda, the <strong>Banagher Horse Fair<\/strong>, the annual <em>Readings at the Pallet<\/em> in Corrigans, and my parents anniversaries. Between the three of them, this is what I dub the &#8220;Pigrimage to Banagher&#8221; period.<\/p>\n<p>On a more sombre note, marchers were back on the street over the water issue, with calls for a referendum on the issue gaining ground.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<hr>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FBanagherHorseFair%2Fvideos%2F1263294577066020%2F&#038;show_text=0&#038;width=560\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" style=\"border:none;overflow:hidden\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowTransparency=\"true\" allowFullScreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>Readings at the Pallet has been postponed at time of writing, and it was only when discussing this with fellow writers from the Rhymers Club I realised Ive missed most of their events this year, and all of the festivals!<\/p>\n<p>But I was not missing the Annual Horse Fair of Banagher!<\/p>\n<h2>Fair Day in Banagher<\/h2>\n<p>I got a lift to Banagher with the brother and Cllr Sean Maher of Sinn Fein whose councilors, TD&#8217;s and activists have been great supporters of the Fair and all that it represents.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3180\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3180\" style=\"width: 925px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/2016-banagher-horse-fair-september-2016-right2water-march\/with-cllr-sean-maher-at-the-2016-banagher-horse-fair\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3180\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/With-Cllr-Sean-Maher-at-the-2016-Banagher-Horse-Fair.jpg\" alt=\"With Cllr Sean Maher at the Banagher Horse Fair\" width=\"925\" height=\"293\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/With-Cllr-Sean-Maher-at-the-2016-Banagher-Horse-Fair.jpg 925w, https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/With-Cllr-Sean-Maher-at-the-2016-Banagher-Horse-Fair-300x95.jpg 300w, https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/With-Cllr-Sean-Maher-at-the-2016-Banagher-Horse-Fair-768x243.jpg 768w, https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/With-Cllr-Sean-Maher-at-the-2016-Banagher-Horse-Fair-700x222.jpg 700w, https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/With-Cllr-Sean-Maher-at-the-2016-Banagher-Horse-Fair-332x105.jpg 332w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 925px) 100vw, 925px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3180\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">With Cllr Sean Maher at the Banagher Horse Fair<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>On the bypass, where fools in the council put the Fair one year, there was a row of cars in each direction with trailers and horseboxes and lorries that had brought stock to the Fair.<\/p>\n<p>A Garda and a Dept of Agriculture inspector were on the Hill of Banagher checking passports and microchips to the annoyance of all, with this particular Garda being noted for being surly, unhelpful and borderline provacative.<\/p>\n<p>We were directed to the right down what I knew in my childhood at &#8220;The Back Road&#8221; from which we turned in Cuba Avenue, only to find ANOTHER Garda directing us down Curraghvarna Lane, which was bollarded both sides to stop parking.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You would not see this at a GAA match&#8221; I thought to myself, and we parked regardless of bolards, and walked through the New Houses to Cuba Avenue and entered the Main Street alongside St Pauls Church of Ireland Parish Hall.<\/p>\n<p>Cuba Avenue had yet another Garda manning its barriers, a motorcycle cop who was a lovely chap, and seemed slightly embarrassed to be causing such a nuisance in the town. His manner, and the respect he showed to the fairgoers was in marked contrast to his compatriot on the Hill of Banagher and its very important to point out he also was as effective in doing what he should not have had to do.<\/p>\n<p>All that aside, the street was hopping. The finest of animals were on the street, the craic and conversation was second to none and I parted from Sean and Sean to get a few photos, missing a lot of great shots from having the craic and a chat with fellow fair goers.<\/p>\n<p>But thats what the Fair is about, the human interaction, the haggle and the trading.<\/p>\n<p>All animals were well cared for, none were thin, or mistreated on the street. The driving rain did not dampen spirits, and the sun came out as the fair ended around 5pm, having been on the go since 5am and before.<\/p>\n<p>It was great to see John &#8220;Boy&#8221; Dolan with his children selling their poultry on the street, and the crowd they attracted was second to none. He was talking to me before about his idea that the release of the pine martin in the wild on the callows is possibly the reason for the sudden disappearance of the Corncrake, after all the money thrown at its preservation.<\/p>\n<p>Its a very valid theory, for no one knows the land like those who live on it, and I ve been looking into this since, and though I didnt find anything to support or disprove this theory, a study in NUIG focusing on Banagher and Birr as opposed to a control in Wicklow of how the pine martin affects the spread of the Grey Squirrell shows that its reintroduction has inhibited the latter and helps the native Red  regain its territory.<\/p>\n<p>If the pine martin can do that with squirrells, it is quite possible it can have the effect that John Dolan suspects and suggests.<\/p>\n<p>The summary of the day is that the Fair is back alive and thriving, a tradition that will not be just another memory, in a case where people power stood up to push-the-pen officials who try to regulate our lives into submission. Along with the Turf Cutters who have had repeal of the oppressive legisation levelled at them, the peoles voice is slowly being heeded, and there were thousands of them on the streets of Dublin the day before, on the water issue.<\/p>\n<h2>Marching for Water in the Sunshine <\/h2>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version=\"7\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:8px;\">\n<div style=\" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;\">\n<div style=\" background:url(data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC\/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5\/P8\/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo\/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI\/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf\/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BKeLRdhjTGb\/\" style=\" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;\" target=\"_blank\">Crossing the #liffey #right2water march #offalysaysno #renmoresaysno #wewontpay @storyful @rtenews<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\">A video posted by Thomas Carty (@tomjcarty) on <time style=\" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;\" datetime=\"2016-09-17T21:05:54+00:00\">Sep 17, 2016 at 2:05pm PDT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async defer src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The day before I&#8217;d met up with the brother to go on the water march. As usual he decked himself out in his self made custume, which got a great reaction from fellow marchers.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D10209622705858963%26set%3Da.1644286061527.89551.1068146849%26type%3D3&#038;width=400\" width=\"400\" height=\"487\" style=\"border:none;overflow:hidden\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowTransparency=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>He managed to persuade me to reluctantly wear a caubeen and a old style jacket&#8230; and I carried the &#8220;Che Guevara&#8221; flag which also got a good reaction.<\/p>\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_3179\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3179\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/2016-banagher-horse-fair-september-2016-right2water-march\/september-2016-right2water-march-in-dublin\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-3179\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/September-2016-Right2Water-march-in-Dublin-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"At the September Right2Water march in Dublin\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-3179\" srcset=\"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/September-2016-Right2Water-march-in-Dublin-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/September-2016-Right2Water-march-in-Dublin-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/September-2016-Right2Water-march-in-Dublin-332x331.jpg 332w, https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/September-2016-Right2Water-march-in-Dublin-432x432.jpg 432w, https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/September-2016-Right2Water-march-in-Dublin-268x268.jpg 268w, https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/September-2016-Right2Water-march-in-Dublin.jpg 528w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3179\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">At the September Right2Water march in Dublin<\/figcaption><\/figure>The mood on the street was boyant, with many feeling its a formality at this stage that water charges will be abolished.<\/p>\n<p>In light of 13 000 000 000 for just two years tax going unpaid by Apple alone, its criminal to charge the citizenry a THIRD time to pay for our water. How much other multinationals are getting away with not paying makes the mind boggle, and this theme formed the design for my poster.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen Murphy read his verse &#8220;Before  You Push That Chair&#8221; which was poignant to many due to having lost freinds as a result of Austerity, all the while while we afford to bail out banks and let mega corporations get away tax free.<\/p>\n<p>Speeches were given by all the usual speakers, and as the crowd drifted away the talk was of &#8220;if they dont listen this time, we will be back more forceful next time&#8221; from one man, and similar sentiments from a lot of others I was speaking to.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Calls for a referendum on the water charges were made from the stage, and I really hope that this is not just a rally cry, that its a campaign that the Right2Water will follow up on.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Around this time of the year there are three things on the agenda, the Banagher Horse Fair, the annual Readings at the Pallet in Corrigans, and my parents anniversaries. Between the three of them, this is what I dub the &#8220;Pigrimage to Banagher&#8221; period. On a more sombre note, marchers &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[571,439,194],"tags":[2491,2360,718,1995,918],"class_list":["post-3177","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-austerity","category-banagher","category-blog","tag-2016-banagher-horse-fair","tag-banagher","tag-banagher-horse-fair","tag-corncrake","tag-offaly","column","twocol"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7EI4f-Pf","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":843,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/more-than-just-another-memory\/","url_meta":{"origin":3177,"position":0},"title":"More Than Just Another Memory","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"8th October 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"To ride a horse is to ride the sky, Someone once said somewhere... Well I was not with horses raised, But I loved them at Banagher fair... I think the horses loved it too To walk among the crowd That will be no more if the fools win Who want\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Austerity&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Austerity","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/austerity\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"They seen many fairs come and go, I hope that Banagher fair will not become just another memory... Photo: Michael Leonard","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/ML-003-200x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4053,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/2013-readings-at-the-pallet-in-banagher\/","url_meta":{"origin":3177,"position":1},"title":"2013 Readings at the Pallet In Banagher","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"9th September 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=UH-NzQux4LM Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh reading the The Pallet readings in his native Banagher in Co. Offaly.\u00a0","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Banagher&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Banagher","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/banagher\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/UH-NzQux4LM\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4352,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/tom-moran-lusmagh-horse-trader-remembered\/","url_meta":{"origin":3177,"position":2},"title":"Tom Moran &#8211; Lusmagh Horsetrader Remembered","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"15th April 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"From youth, from Lusmagh with his stock Among the traders there From far and near, home and abroad All met at Banagher Fair. Bargained, argued, deals were struck Settled by spit on the hand More failed to agree price both thought was fair As each one held his stand. Times\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Banagher&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Banagher","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/banagher\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The late Tom Moran of Lusmagh","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/The-late-Tom-Moran-of-Lusmagh.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1998,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/that-beats-banagher\/","url_meta":{"origin":3177,"position":3},"title":"That Beats Banagher","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"30th June 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"They want the horse fair banished from the streets to a field Where they believe all horses should be Their spirit contained, their owners constrained Not on the streets to walk with their owners free To deal with the buyers, who bargain with the sellers As the horses stand by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Banagher&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Banagher","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/banagher\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Youths enjoying Banagher Horse Fair in 2010","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Banagher-Horse-Fair-2010.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Banagher-Horse-Fair-2010.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Banagher-Horse-Fair-2010.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Banagher-Horse-Fair-2010.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1389,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/reboot-banagher-horse-fair\/","url_meta":{"origin":3177,"position":4},"title":"Reboot Banagher Horse Fair&#8230;","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"26th April 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"We will see you, as a sure thing, in September On the Main Street among the proud horses there We'll walk among crowds, dogs, the shady folk and the shades At the 2015 Banagher Horse Fair... Make sure your car has no green diesel And your horse is not on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Austerity&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Austerity","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/austerity\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2302,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/banagher-horse-fair\/","url_meta":{"origin":3177,"position":5},"title":"Banagher Horse Fair","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"17th June 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I grew up in the town of Banagher, whose annual street horse fair is one of my favourite memories growing up. An element have been trying to shut it down, with the town blockaded in 2014 and again this year. This year, the fair grew from last year, and the\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"Hoult yer horse","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Hoult-yer-horse.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Hoult-yer-horse.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Hoult-yer-horse.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3177","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3177"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3177\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3182,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3177\/revisions\/3182"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3177"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3177"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3177"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}