15/07/2008
A Body Double Fit for a King!
Glory at Launch of Famous Festival
Hollywood stars have had them for years, presidents around the world have used them for security, and now there’s a body double fit for a King – King Puck that is!
The demands for an audience with the most famous King of Ireland have become so much that organisers of the legendary Fair in Killorglin, Co Kerry have taken to using a stand for the real thing.
“Puck Fair has become so well known all over the globe – yet each year the real king is only caught a few days before the event and released back into the wild immediately afterwards,” said Fair Chairman Declan Mangan.
“So we decided to get a stand in – and Frank Joy, who has been catching King Puck for nearly 20 years, has kindly supplied Fred, who has taken to the role like a prince in waiting. Now we have a goat on demand when film-makers or the international media want to document him.
The real King Puck will lord it over Killorglin at the annual Puck Fair Festival from the 10 to 12th of August. And at yesterday’s launch of the festival, a full, family filled programme was announced. Up to 100,000 people will descend on the town fro the three days.
“The festival particularly celebrates fun for all the family with street entertainers such as the ‘Wobbly Circus’, ‘Biddy Bunratty Experience’, face painting, a pet show, walkabout clowns, fancy dress, Cork Circus with their ‘Monsters from the Marsh ‘ and ‘Luigi Budini’ an Italian Jester specialising at acrobatics and juggling. Amusements will be present for all the kids to enjoy and as well as the more traditional aspects of the festival such as the horse fair on the first day and the cattle fair on the second day. A huge fireworks display at midnight on the final night will close the festival,” Declan Mangan said at the launch.
A huge musical line up will entertain crowds across the three nights. Irish chart-topper Mundy famous for hits ‘July’ and ‘Galway Girl’ will play to crowds on Monday, 11th of August with support from Celtic Rock Band Kell who will travel from London to play at the festival.
Ryan Tubridy’s in-house band performing for audiences each Saturday on ‘Tubridy Tonight’ – The Camembert Quartet - will delight crowds with their quirky takes on classics on the final night of the festival Tuesday, 12th of August. Local folk band Onòra take to the stage on Sunday, August 10th to kick-start the musical entertainment.
Puck Fair is regarded as Ireland’s oldest traditional fair and takes place annually on the 10th to the 12th of August in Killorglin, Co. Kerry every year, regardless of the days those dates fall on.
A wild mountain goat is captured from the nearby McGuillicuddy Reeks and crowned King of the town for 3 days and nights. The town holds a coronation parade in the King Puck’s honour and selects a local school girl to represent the town as Queen.
The main events of the festival include the traditional horse fair, parade and coronation ceremony of King Puck, open air night concerts, fireworks display, children's competitions, street entertainers and dancing displays.
It is estimated that the fair is worth in excess of €6,000,000 to the local economy as over 100,000 people pass through Killorglin during the three days of Puck Fair. These visitors to the town are of varying nationalities - local people mix with Europeans and Americans to create a truly international atmosphere.
