Not knowing what to expect as I had not been to the Lammas Fair for many a year, we all bundled into the car (no, not the dog too) late Monday morning and headed off to sunny Ballycastle.
Now I am a regular visitor to this beautiful town, as that is where all the clever stuff for the website is done at the Enterprise Centre, grace a Glenovation. But it had indeed been transformed into a hive of trade and tradition.
The streets were lined with traders of all sorts from perfume to crossbows (my daughter rather worringly had her eye on one)! We had a very pleasant stroll along the streets stopping every now and then to listen to the multitude of country singers promoting their new cds and trying to outsing each other!
There were plenty of characters about enjoying the sunshine and the atmosphere – the wee man from Strabane was giving her dixie at the harbour with the BBC Radio Ulster Outside Broadcast – Downtown Radio also had an outside broadcast on the go.
There was all the usual – fortune tellers (seventh daughter of the seventh daughter), knock down perfume, yellow man, balloons, dulse, horse fair, fun fair, food, you name it. Thankfully there was only one shower which played itself out while we were kitting out three kids out with new school shoes at at great wee shoe shop called Gillians – they guy who measured my son’s shoes had the heart of a lion I can tell you!
If you have never been to the Lammas Fair or haven’t been for some time I would definitely recommend it for a good day’s craic. You never know who you will bump into – old acquaintances as I did – it’s a very social (af)fair. Parking facilities were more than adequate with a quad on hand for anyone who got stuck in the field – like us – everyone out and push! The PSNI were in attendance and also seemed to be soaking up the carnival atmosphere and mingling with the good natured crowd. Well done Moyle Council!
