Heritage > Myths and Legends > Ireland
Lammas Fair
County Antrim
An unbroken history of over 300 years applies to the feast of "Lu",
the Lammas Fair. In the old days, flowers and fruit were offerings made
at Holy Wells. This was done to mark the end of summer, and the beginning
of the harvest.
The event took place at Ballycastle, and the sale of livestock was
brisk. Another item on sale was hard yellow toffee ~ "yellow man", and
an edible seaweed that was locally picked ~ "dulse". These items were
fondly remembered in a popular old song:
"At the Ould Lammas Fair, boys, were you
ever there,
At the Ould Lammas Fair in
Ballycastle, oh?
Did you treat your Mary Ann to dulse
and "yellow man",
At the Ould Lammas Fair at
Ballycastle, oh?"
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