Dog days of summer

AUGUST WAS one of the busiest months of the year in my young days, as crops used to be harvested later than they are nowadays. This was because less fertiliser was put out on the land and meadows were closed later.

Because of that, haymaking was in full swing in late July and early August. It was a real heart-scald in bad weather, involving lots of labourers doing this work. Once the hay had been cut, it needed plenty of time to season. If it was made into hay cocks (wynds) too quickly it would heat and become musty.

There was the danger of rain if it was left too long on the ground. When that happened, it meant a great deal of extra work, turning and tossing it, until it had shed its moisture. The experts reckoned that most crops could withstand a few days rain on the flat, but once it received more than a week's supply then the crop was at risk.

Certainly, if it went beyond a fortnight, the quality would have been drastically reduced. Silage, which is less weather dependent, had not become part of the harvest supply in our locality until several decades later.

Once the hay had been made up and the meadows clean racked, it was left there for about three weeks, before being brought into the haggard.

There was three ways it could be brought in, by horse and cart, hay float, or it could be "snagged". This meant attaching a chain to the cock of hay and getting the horse to pull it along the ground. This wasn't done if the hay had to be transported on the public road, and the ground had to be clean and level to get the best results.

Spraying potatoes took place every few weeks in August. Blue Stone and Washing Soda were the main ingredients. The Washing Soda was boiled and mixed with water before being added to the Blue Stone. The weather had to be fine when the spray was being applied. Colcannon was a common food served at this time. Small garden crops were available much earlier than the main ones, and we used to look forward to the taste of early potatoes.

They were coated with butter and mixed with onions and although modern dieticians mightn't approve, we thought they were delicious.

Nearly every household had its own garden, and this meant that potatoes, carrots, cabbage etc, came from the family plot. Apples, rhubarb and a wide selection of berries ensured that jams and desserts were also plentiful.

August was traditionally a time for fairs and festivals, and in olden times people flocked to holy wells and shrines. In the old Gaelic tradition, Lunasa was one of the most important festivals of the year. Our distant ancestors, the Celts, based their calculations on lunar, solar, and cycles of growth so for them the festival of Lunasa probably varied from year to year.

It was said to have begun with games organised by the pagan hero, Lugh, in memory of his mother, Tailtíu, who, according to legend, died from exhaustion after she had cleared the plains of Ireland for farming.

The first location of the games was at Tailtinn, between Navan and Kells in County Meath, and it was seen as a trial of strength and skill.

The three most famous fairs in Ireland were: Puck Fair in Killorglin Kerry, The Auld Lammas Fair at Ballycastle Antrim, and the Harvest Fair in Ballinasloe Galway. The Puck Fair is one of the longest running and the only one I have attended. There are several stories relating to the origin of the fair. Probably the most known one refers to a goat that appeared in the town after the soldiers of Cromwell had been pillaging that part of Kerry.

According to the legend, a herd of goats took fright when the army began its rampage. Most of them headed for the mountains, but one male goat became separated from the others and ended up in Killorglin.

When the inhabitants saw the distressed state of the animal, they realised that danger was imminent and began taking measures to protect themselves and their property. It is said that the people of the town decided to set up a special festival in honour of the goat and this takes the form of a three-day event held annually around the second week of August.

Another tale sets the origin of the fair at a later date. In 1807, an Act of Parliament gave the Lord Lieutenant the power to ban ‘toll fairs’ if he so desired. Prior to that they had been held in the town of Killorglin, and the money collected from the toll went to the local landlord, Mr Harman Blennerhasset.

Apparently the latter had a bad relationship with the Lord Lieutenant who decided to ban the fair in Killorglin. Blennerhasset engaged Daniel O'Connell to represent him.

When Daniel examined the document that prohibited the fair, he came to the conclusion that it didn't apply to goats.

The fair was held in August 1808 and was advertised as a goat fair. A goat was put on a platform to make clear to all concerned that it was a goat fair and in this way the landlord was able to collect his tolls without breaking the law. There is no information as to whether or not other animals changed hands on the day.

One of the greatest gatherings that takes place in August is the annual Fleadh Cheoil organised by Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Éireann.

This began more than half a century ago and appeals to musicians from all over the world. They come to enjoy themselves and to share tunes and join in the various sessions with their Irish counterparts. It was to be held in Mullingar this year but along with so many other events had to be cancelled due to Covid-19.

A lot of towns and villages around Limerick used to hold their own festivals in August, but not this year. As we bid adieu to summer at the end of the month hopefully all events will return bigger and better next year.