Local Fairs

There is no fair held in the locality at present. At one time there was a pig fair held at Kearn's Cross Road in the village of Tavanagh parish of Straidhe.
The nearest fair which is held now-a-days is held in Balla.
The fair is now held on the street of the town, but some years ago before the land was divided and when the large farms were grazed entirely the fairs were so large that they had to be held in the fair-green.

There is a fair held every month recently and no toll is paid at these fairs, but there are eight fairs of long standing held on the following dates
Jan 22nd, March 19th, May 1st, June 11th,August 11th, Sept 24th, Nov 7th Dec 12th and toll is paid at each of them. The land Commission receives the toll now, in former times the land Lord Sir Robert Bloss Lynch got it.
Amount paid in toll is as follows

• Calves 4d per head
• Two year olds 6d '' ''
• Cows 8d '' ''
• Horses 1/- '' ''
• Sheep 3d '' ''
• Donkeys 6d '' ''
• Lambs 1d '' ''
• No toll paid on pigs.

Fair, Cong Co. Mayo Photographer: Caoimhín Ó Danachair;  Source

Luck money is paid. The rate of 2/- in £10 is considered decent luck money.
At the closing of a bargain the men say to each other "Hold your hand". They clap hands but never spit now. At one time spitting was done as an indication that this bargain was agreed upon. The buyer generally carries a marker now for marking the beasts which he buys. In olden times when a beast was purchased he was marked with a bit of mud. If the buyer intends to sell the beast over again he simply clips a bit of its hair in order to mark it.
When a horse is sold the seller presents the buyer with a new halter for the beast.