Madam, – I was taught at school that, under the Penal Laws, none of the mere Irish were permitted to own a horse worth more than £5. It seems that today, in Smithfield, the sight of a poor man on a horse offends the sensibilities of the new ascendancy as much as it did the old. The problem of family feuds in the Traveller community is the latest weapon to be used in the long campaign to close down the ancient horse fair. The council is using expensive resources to tear down trees and redevelop the fair out of existence. It looks forward to a time when there will be no culture without committees to control it, no heritage without arts administrators to grant it favours and no free spirit left alive anywhere.
The problem of violent families is one which our education, justice and social welfare systems have manifestly failed to address, as sons follow their fathers in and out jail. The real solution to this problem lies in co-ordinated, consistent care, which offers real opportunity and viable alternatives to destructive lifestyles. The answer is not to be unfair to the last real fair in Dublin. I don’t want to live in a city where only the pups of property developers, bankers and strong farmers are allowed to throw their leg over a horse. Ride on. – Yours, etc,
A chara, – I brought two friends from the Netherlands to the Smithfield horse fair on the first Sunday of February. There were very few horses and traders there – a sure sign of the times and of how the market has downsized in recent years.
That said, it is still an example of local culture that tourists love to see. The March, or English market, was always going to be contentious due to the reduced space available and increased number of visitors from Britain, and unfortunately resulted in the incidents that have been so widely reported.
Instead of seeking the banning of the horse fair, the Mayor of Dublin, Gerry Breen – along with the DSPCA and relevant authorities – should work with the organisers to improve the conditions of the market. The horse fair, which takes place only 12 times a year, has been attracting Dubliners and tourists for a long time; the council should recognise this and act accordingly. It might even make a bit of money. – Is mise,
Madam, – History seems about to repeat itself. In the mid-19th century the world-famous Donnybrook Fair, which had existed since medieval times, was extinguished for the same reasons that are now being advanced to shut down the Smithfield horse fair. The fair will go, and another colourful feature of Irish life will be lost. It seems that the time will never come when we Irish can behave ourselves. As the great Connie Ryan used to say, “The country is only half settled!”. – Yours, etc,