'It was a great show jumping day with all sorts of jumping for seniors and juniors in jumps and obstacles'

'It was a great show jumping day with all sorts of jumping for seniors and juniors in jumps and obstacles'

Margaret remembers other special days of the year in her village apart from the annual fair.

Margaret McLoughlin

Trinity College Dublin

1940

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Margaret McLoughlin

Childhood and Early Life

Life Story

Dublin

1960s

Other special days when I was young was the annual Gymkhana, which was held 15th August. Business was as usual in our house but we children would escape to the park. It was a great show jumping day with all sorts of jumping for seniors and juniors in jumps and obstacles. There were donkey and pony rides for children and vans selling all the goodies.Another special day was Garland Sunday, the last Sunday in July. It was held in Sligo at a special holy well and Mass rock on the edge of lough gill. We looked forward to it as we had to get the train to Sligo and then walk to the well quite a way. We usually arrived for Mass and then we drank some of the water and of course there were all sorts of stalls. It was a wonderful dayThe day of the threshing was another one, when all the family would arrive to help on my grandfather's farm. We loved watching the floats arrive. The women as usual were busy in the kitchen cooking, getting ready for the big meal in the evening, on carrying drinks to the men.

Irish Research Council for Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (IRCHSS)

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)