Celtic Tiger kids running the show at Killorglin horse fair

THE children of the Celtic Tiger are beginning to dictate trends at one of the country’s oldest horse fairs.

For, increasingly, more riding ponies and donkeys suitable for children are being seen at Puck Fair, in Killorglin, and fetching big prices as they meet the needs of the growing leisure industry.

Trading in horses was generally described as “slow” yesterday, but donkeys were making over €1,000, with some sellers seeking €1,400 for mares.

Good jumping ponies were fetching around €3,000.

“Demand for horses seems to be slow, but people are definitely buying ponies for children,” said John Joe Murphy, of Barraduff, Co Kerry, a regular at the fair for more than 40 years who himself had two thoroughbreds on offer.

Killarney man Donal Grady said quality horses on show were few enough, adding that good working horses were making €3,000 to €4,000, with prices of €2,500 to €3,000 being paid for unbroken two to three-year-old horses.

“The organisers deserve credit for moving the horse fair to Evans’ field, outside the town. The fair was very dangerous when it used to be on the streets,” Mr Grady added.

Large crowds flocked into sun-splashed Killorglin for the opening of the three-day event.

More than 200 stallholders created a huge open-air emporium where you could buy anything from a needle to an anchor.

Being one of the country’s most notorious boozing festivals, pubs also did a brisk trade. But the organisers are anxious to move away from the hard-drinking image, insisting that Puck is now mainly a family-orientated festival with plenty of musical entertainment.

In such a setting it was only appropriate that a man selling personal alcohol breath testers should attract attention.

Greg Bird, from Glenbeigh, was offering the battery-operated Korean invention which, he promised, was totally reliable, for €80. It gives a reading in just 40 seconds. “This is the best-selling product of its type in America. We’re really aiming for the ‘morning after’ market as it is amazing how many people fail breath tests when they’re tested the morning after the night before,” he said.

“This tester is quite similar to the one used by gardaí and makes it easy for people to find out for themselves if they’re fit to drive. They can get 3,000 tests from one tester.”

Fair safety officer Pat Healy said they had to ensure there was a free flow of traffic for ambulances, fire brigades and other emergency vehicles through the streets at all times.

Thousands of people witnessed the crowning of a wild mountain goat as King Puck, last night.

Up to 70,000 people will be in Killorglin for Puck, which continues to attract many colourful characters and large numbers of Travellers, for whom the fair has always been a great meeting place.

Three-card trick sharks were active yesterday, relieving the unsuspecting of hard-earned €50 notes.

“Never let the man with the money pass by,” said one nimble-fingered operator with a distinct Cork accent.

“Come on lads, it’s only for a bit of fun, lads. No good spending it on the horses … ah getting money out of Kerry people is like getting blood out of a turnip,” he pleaded, waiting for another client to come along.