To this day, historians dispute the exact origins of Ireland’s
centuries-old Puck Fair Festival. Held annually from 10 to 12 August in
Killorglin, a small town on the Laune River in southwestern Ireland, the
festival is said to date to either the early 1600s, at the end of the
Gaelic period, or the early 1650s, when Oliver Cromwell plundered Irish
lands during the English Civil War. One of the more popular legends
surrounding the festival’s start tells of a lone male goat that broke
away from his herd at the foot of the MacGillycuddy Reeks mountain
range, alerting the Killorglin villagers about the invading
“Roundheads”, supporters of the English Parliament. Records show that
the first acknowledgement of the celebrations lies somewhere in between:
in 1613, King James I honoured the Killorglin fair in a charter. On the
first day of the festivities, aptly named “Gathering Day”, volunteers
called “goat catchers” capture a puck – a wild male mountain goat – and
bring it back to town. The goat is then placed on a float decorated with
purple heather and led into the centre of Killorglin during the
Coronation Parade, where he is crowned as king to reign for three days.
(Jeff Mauritzen/National Geographic Creative)
After being placed onto a bed of fresh hay, King Puck is hoisted atop
the three-tier Town Plaza Stage. Irish dancers, puppet shows and pipe
bands occupy the space in front, entertaining the crowd – and his
majesty. Before and after the Coronation Parade, the streets of
Killorglin erupt with street performers, carnival rides and musical
acts. Here, a street performer solicits a volunteer to be a part of his
act as the crowd waits for the Coronation Parade to commence. (Jeff
Mauritzen/National Geographic Creative)
Killorglin is located in County Kerry, a region with a rich Gaelic
ancestry. And with this bountiful heritage comes an enduring love for
Kerry music – in essence, traditional Irish folk music, laden with
pipes, fiddles and strings – which is played throughout the festival in
pubs and on streets. During the day, dancers and musicians entertain
crowds near the Town Plaza Stage. At night, the pubs stay open until
3am, overflowing with party goers playing guitars, accordions, fiddles,
flutes and bodhrans, one-sided Irish drums. But the open-air concerts
that take place every night are the heart of the party. Performances
take place on the Stage Truck, which is driven into the town plaza at
the end of each day. Pictured here, the Killorglin Pipe Band marches up
Lower Bridge Street during the Coronation Parade. (Jeff
Mauritzen/National Geographic Creative)
Perhaps the most amusing element of the Coronation Parade is the
crowning of King Puck. As tradition commands, “Queen Puck” is given the
honour and duty of crowning the king. The queen, a local schoolgirl, is
selected by writing the best essay about why she deserves to be queen.
This year’s queen was 12-year-old Rebecca Coffey. Here, she and her
entourage of ladies-in-waiting wave to onlookers as they arrive for the
coronation ceremony. To finalize the coronation and officially kick off
the festival, the queen reads the Puck Fair Proclamation in Irish,
German and French to the cheering crowd below. (Jeff Mauritzen/National
Geographic Creative)
The second day of the festival, “Fair Day”, showcases one event in
particular: the Cattle Fair. It takes place after the Horse Show, the
first of the festival’s street livestock sales. Like the horse sale –
where vendors peddle their harnesses, bridles, headgear, reigns and
other horse tack – the cattle fair draws crowds of farmers and
spectators to circle around sellers and customers haggling over prices.
Local farming families constitute the bulk of the cattle vendors, who
bring their pen-held cattle to Langford Street just after 7 am. These
days, cattle run more than 600 euros a head – a hefty investment in more
ways than one. (Jeff Mauritzen/National Geographic Creative)
12 August, “Scattering Day”, marks the last day of events, and ends with
the dethronement of King Puck. A larger-than-life puppet of the king is
paraded out of town, and the goat is released back into the Kerry
Mountains. For his last moments as king, Puck sits on the same lofty
parade float, which travels from the town plaza across the River Laune
Bridge and to the fishery, which acts as a border between the town and
the mountain range. The goat catchers then lead the puck back home.
(Jeff Mauritzen/National Geographic Creative)
