Extract from Derry Journal 18th of August 1775

From: http://www.finnvalley.ie/glenfin/other/brockaghfair/

Extract from Derry Journal 18th of August 1775 Cloghanbeg. A patent has been granted for several fairs and monthly markets to be held annually for ever, in or at the town of Cloghanbeg, the fairs to be held on the first of February, 19th of May, 28th August and the 19th of November, and the monthly market to be held on the first Monday of every month. This grant was issued to Sir Robert Style and Colonel William Style and was customs free for the first seven years. Peter Mulrine’s Lorry in Brockagh Village, some 70 years ago.  P.Mulrine & Sons, Ballybofey, is still going strong . The fair was transferred to Cloghanbeg in 1874. As happened at Dungloe, where the fair brought the name Dungloe from the old site into An Clochan Liath. Our fair, which was formerly held in the Coyle area of Brockagh townland, brought the name Brockagh with it to the new site, the village which is now in the townland of Cloghanbeg. The fair was held in the cow market, which was always owned by the occupier of Glenmore Castle, also in the townland of Cloghanmore. The monthly fair was held on the 19th, except the August fair, which was on the 25th. Some dealers used to come on August 19th by mistake. Many years ago the fair was policed by Big Boyce. Whenever he found two men fighting, he quelled the disturbance by catching one in each hand and throwing them over the hedge into the adjoining field. A man in the Croaghs had a stick fighting school, where young men came and stayed in his home for a number of days, preparing themselves for faction fights in Brockagh fair and elsewhere. Did You Know? Brockagh is derived from the Gaelige, Brocach, meaning Badger-field, and Cloghan (Clochan) – meaning Stony place. Drovers walked long distances to drive cattle from the fair. Such as Langan and Scott reached Brockagh shortly after nine o’clock, having walked from Letterkenny via Cark (where the windfarms are now situated). A man named Kelly from Killygordon played the fiddle at the fair and sang ballads and then sold the ballad sheets through the fair. Peter Harte offered three shots a penny to knock down Dolly by kicking a tied football. There was a prize for the one who was able to do so. When the young lads annoyed him with unofficial kicks, he used to say “Oh now, give the oul man a chance.” People with ‘standings’ (stalls) selling apples, dulse etc. included Mrs. Lynch and Roddy Mulholland. McCormacks, Devenneys and other houses provided meals. Dealers in stock who came there to buy included Nee, Strain, Begley, King, McDonnell, Carson and Lafferty. Men who had been drinking at the fair used to come to Brockagh the day after – for a cure. That day was known as ‘The Oul Fair day’. There were stalls of second hand clothes – men such as Hanlon had patter to draw the crowd. Then there was McCallig from Mayo who dealt mainly in delph.