The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-20
IRELAND,s GREAT HORSE MARKET

IRELAND'S GREAT HORSE MARKET
Cakirrse. In County Cork. Where All IRE.
land Goes In July to Sell or Buy Horses.
LONDON. Sept. 1.-The horse show attracted
. large number Of smart people" to Dublin
last week and was very fine affair; but IL
was neither 30 picturesque nor so characterta-
tic as the fair OF Cahirmee. which preceded 1t
By a month which the Irish consider the
greatest thing Of It's kind In the world. Set
ting aside tho exagceration OF the locality.
however. It is perfectly truo that tho annual
gathering of all the young horses OF the SOUTH
ern counties at Cahirmee Is remarkable. and
that the quality OF the cattle is extremely good.
ireland. owing to tho natural conformation
OF tho island, is especially adapted to the rear
Ing and breeding OF horses: moreover. tho
Irishman Is constitutionally fond OF the horse,
almost as much so as the Mexican and the
Arab. aud loves his steed with On individual
and personal affection. In country whore
every kind OF sport is held In high esteem.
where the ragged and penniless outcast con-
slders TIA duty to attend every race meeting
from Ballybrophy to Carrlckmacross. where
every village Is called city and the poorest OF
hamlets has race course 1t Is not surprising
that immense importance Is attached to tho
more or less excellent breed OF horses Even
whom the highest prizes do not exceed twenty
pounds, and the bets are In shillings II not In
coppers, the popular interest is as keen a. II
thousands were lost or won. Moreover. Ire.
land Is the home OF stesplechasing and
tho natives are prone to remind the stranger
that the most difficult Jump OF the hippodroms
is but COPY OF the stone wall with ditch boz
yond SO frequently mot in . country cut up
into the smallest fragments Of property.
Hedges and walls contribute to making the
Irish horse tho best jumper. for 1t is not In the
national habits to open gate and tho limit.
Ing fences arc always got over either BY the
colts in training or tho horses already In use
whom their bareback riders take them to the
drinking place or bring them back to the sta
Oficial statistics show tina. Of tho nearly two
ana
quarter Fl that NUMBER I'm 6so1gs to me latter
s1th the HinadomD The Salus q these
Sna % aai
because It Is never insrusssd 10 farm hands.
irish horse IS gentle. doele ' trihe o6stinats.
Intelligent. and 5stuses no obstacle II he
be orseps through . hedge ike weasel and
sWms the stream he Judges too broad to leap
like, ali good riders the ,Irishman Is careful.
Il: ana & FL i h.
horses to oahirmss varies according TO the
haste Or necessity they are 10 Of getting 2
re@ to
Ioss colt Rs
Of the fair has come, the farmer frequently
ana .ss II h
least degree strange orunb4sinsssike.
rails. il county CORK. Tho country is open.
spreading its green nndulstions ana seanty
market. The date is fxed Tor . tho Mondas but
des n Sss as
IN tTui, national
elsewhere there is little or none at Gshirmss.
The mon sleep near their horses or crowd into
s 81 IL yThs
eomparatlyeiy luxurioHs hotsi buls,, IN
prices ior the and hass
to To-, order their room 90 2 month IN sdyanee IS
seven shiliinss; and Il rises 10 .wenty:ave dur:
aristoorats Of the gathering. ssntismen farm
Q. country r pr1p.sors horse breeders
fRS .na herr; d'srs from Corr
cheerful. for With Tho sTcsptiou Of tho G priests
tho
the long tailed gray coat, the double-breasted
Knitted stockings. and the green Or orange
cravat twisted round their necks. They wear
H. r 9S1nx s: sa and u.af Rsas s. DR
shirts; and VIVA .!ss: Amid shss. shin. g.
money AZ the falr and drinking with tho ma
the peasants keep sober until their bargains
70
S hs 1h q II IT,
bols spsnt in The sIorinca.ion Of . colt q tns
an Irishmsn to the blush. and il comes So nat.
urally. Is poured forth with. such smiling ain
STRANGER q mott BE- fascinsed E1oWns al The
time that IT is mere surface talk.
It Is not rare to see the same purchaser carry
Of fifty Or sixty horses at an AVERAGE price Of
@ 'Sa Hcs snz psss q
Irish breed for their cavalry. and the same
rs II
M . and smDs sfs s:e
There are no certain data as to the number
OF horses brought yearly to Cahirmee. The list
numbers. Is q cattle market held there on the
morning OF the first day; which 10 apt TO pro.
mated. at 5000 aud 5000. Probably the
second estimation Is. nearer the truth |:
but. reckoning all outsiders. It cannot b far
from 1000 representing about 100000
changing hands In four DAYS.
Tho fair presents something OF the aspect OF
o second rate race course In England; but the
incurable poverty OF the Irish population mul.
tiplies rags and .dishevsled heads. while the
inferior feeling OF sef-respect il visible In the
excessive display OF drunkenness. about which
not the slightest shame Is felt. Begging 10 also
extremely preval ent and from the half n aked
urchin to the tattersd woman every hand is
extended In an pnblushin9 petition for aims
childish. open -hearted gaysty however, robs
tho scene OF much OF Its repnlsvsnsss; song
and laughter are hoard on all sides; tho very
young dance 10 the sound OF a fiddle, and 1t 10
not easy to discern with accuracy II the intoxl-
cation is due to schohol or to noise and msrrl-
Iroln mr. M t1.,r Ill.