Market fairs for selling livestock was an important part in the life and economy of rural Ireland. This image portrays a sheep fair in Newport, Co. Mayo near where Ernie and Helen O’Malley lived and operated their own farm in 1943. A large weighing scale resembling a catapult is seen in the background. The photograph can be dated by the make and model of the motor cars appearing in the lower left of the town scene. It is a wet day, and the men are outfitted accordingly with their heavy coats, traditional caps, and walking sticks.
|
