May Fair

From the collection of

Northern Ireland Screen's Digital Film Archive
Launched in 2000, Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive spans from 1897 to the present day and currently contains an ever-expanding catalogue of 13,000 items. It comprises material from a variety of depositors including feature films, sport, documentaries, animation, amateur footage, light entertainment, and a significant proportion of broadcast material from the UTV Archive.

May Fair


Can you spot a certain Nobody amongst the grown-up babies in the May Fair parade?

Horses take over the main street and the sounds of bumper cars compete with the gospel meeting at the May Fair. Fancy dress and fairground rides steal the show despite the sober song of the congregation. This enchanting portrait of Ballyclare's annual fete was created by local resident and beloved film maker Archie Reid. This is just a taste of his treasure trove of films.

The Ballyclare May Fair is one of Ireland's last remaining horse fairs. It began in 1757 and still takes place in late May each year. The main street is sanded down for the benefit of the horses' hooves. Now a weeklong event, modern entertainment joins traditions like hypnotising chickens and choosing the May Fair Queen.


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