Campaigners take to the streets in show of support for beloved Piper's Funfair

Members of the group called for a €30,000 bond required by the local authority to be scrapped to ensure the funfair can return to Kinsale next year

Libby Marah and Jade Jasmine Hickey were at a protest march in Cork to bring Piper's Funfair back to Kinsale for 2024. Picture: Denis Minihane.

Supporters of one of Ireland’s last surviving traditional funfairs took to the streets of Cork city as they stepped up their campaign to save it.

Members of the Save Piper’s Action Group, which has been campaigning for over a year for the restoration of Piper’s Funfair at its traditional location in Kinsale, where it operated since 1939, called for a €30,000 bond required by the local authority to be scrapped.

The group also called for a meeting with the head of Cork County Council in the hope of breaking the more than year-long deadlock which has prevented the funfair from operating in the harbour town for the last two summers.

“We want the bond scrapped, not our funfair,” campaign spokesperson, Helen Hickey said.

“We would like a meeting with the chief executive so that we can come up with a plan that will work for everyone and that’s fair for everyone.” 

The campaign launched in May 2022 after Cork County Council told Brendan Piper, the fourth generation of his family involved in the funfair business, to move his family’s landmark ‘showman’s wagon’ from its traditional parking spot for the first time in almost a century.

It also introduced a new lease arrangement with substantially increased lease fees for the funfair’s continued operation in the newly resurfaced Pier Road public car park on the town’s waterfront.

The new arrangements prevented Pipers from staging their funfair last summer.

Brendan Piper of Piper's (right) took part in a protest march in Cork to bring Piper's Funfair back to Kinsale for 2024. Picture: Denis Minihane.

Following negotiations, the council sought a €60,000 bond from Piper’s to cover the cost of any potential damage to the car park surface, which Brendan Piper said was just not affordable. Earlier this year, the council reduced the bond to €30,000.

But Mr Piper said that was still beyond reach. Funfair sources said the standard bond for funfairs of the same size range from €800 to €2,000.

Local businesses have pledged €15,000 to help but Ms Hickey, who has worked with Piper’s funfair for years, said the local authority rejected this offer.

“We have tried every avenue,” she said.

“We are being flexible. We have bought safety mats to cover the wires needed for some of the rides, and we have offered to take some of the rides that require staking, out of the funfair to minimise the impact on the car park surface.

“But we have written this summer off so everything we are doing now is to try to get the funfair back for 2024. We are still willing to work with the council.

“There is a gaping sense of loss in the town with the absence of Pipers."

A protest march to bring Piper's Funfair back to Kinsale for 2024 making its way through Cork city centre. Picture: Denis Minihane.

She continued, “It is crucial that funfairs like this are supported and saved.

“It was built in this town, for the people, for no other reason than to create memories.” 

Ms Hickey said Brendan Piper, and his father, Billy, have been overwhelmed by the level of public support.