The wild puck goat lent by the North’s most ancient fair - the Ould Lammas in Ballycastle in Co Antrim - has arrived in the Kingdom in advance of his coronation over the Puck Fair in Killorglin next week.
It is the first time a “foreign” goat is to preside over the 400-year-old Kerry fair and the selection of King Billy is largely due to the efforts of the two Ballycastle and Killorglin goat catchers.
Seamus Blaney, a councillor on Moyle District council, and the Ballycastle goat catcher accompanied the goat to Killorglin and will return to collect him on August 13th before his visa date expires, Frank Joy, Killorglin’s chief goat catcher explained.
He and Mr Blaney hatched the idea of bringing the puck 365 miles south last St Patrick’s day at a get together between Ireland’s three oldest fairs, Puck Fair, Lammas Fair and Ballinasloe Fair to mark thirty years of co-operation..
“The King in waiting in peak shape. Teddy Clifford [local vet] has checked him out thoroughly We have him indoors in quarantine. He is a very nice goat, a beautiful goat. I have never seen one like him.”
In fact the goat is so beautiful he is being very closely watched in case he is lured away into the Kerry hills by local she-goats, Mr Joy confessed.
“We are actually keeping a closer eye on this puck than normal,” Mr Joy said. As well as herbs and hay the goat is receiving a special goat mix from the local Kerry Ingredients store in Killorglin.
“I also want to thank the Sinn Féin TD Martin Ferris for sorting out his majesty’s visa papers for us,” Mr Joy said.
This was in reference to a hitch which developed around July 12th when it appeared King Billy would not meet with animal cross-border welfare controls in time for his Kerry visit.
However the Department of Agriculture in Belfast gave the necessary intratrade animal health certificate, allowing giving King Billy a full two weeks sojourn in the Republic.
The goat was caught on the north Antrim Coast’s Fair Head after Mr Blaney and a team of 12 men spent up to three weeks tracking him. They believe he has Kerry blood and is the offspring of a goat from the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks.
The goat will be crowned by Killorglin girl Cassie O’Grady (12) who is this year’s Queen of Puck, after a coronation parade and horse fair. He will rule for three days and three nights from a specially constructed stand high over the town.