The Irish standard., 1899-04-22
IT WILL SOON DISAPPEAR FOR EVER
Established by King John in the
Thirteenth Century.
LOCATED WITHIN The ENGLISH PALE
Poetry that Contributes to it's
Unsavory Reputation.

Donnybiook Fair, once the glory
and the shame OF Irelands capital, dear
old dirty Dublin" for a long time past
has been little else than reminiscence,
but its site is now, so to speak, to be
blotted out
The fair grounds some time since
were cut up into lots and a portion OF
them occupied by artisans cottages, and
now the identity OF the site is being
completely wiped out by the erection
OF rows of more pretentious buildings.
Donnybrook Fair was one of the old
est institutions OF the kind in the mod
crn world, and its fame runs through
the centuries. No. as important COM
mercially as the great fair at Nishni
Novgorod, it was as we'll known in
most nations and more famous because
OF its national characteristics and dis
tinctive features. Donnybrook is a vii
lage in the County OF Dublin, and is
now included in suburb of that city
1t is situated about two miles south
east Of the lines of the old corporation,
on the River Dodder, and its name sig
nifies probably the dun, or foot Of the
badger.
| King John OF England, known as
| Lakeland, founded the fair in the early
years of the thirteenth century, when,
after defeating Scotland's king, he went
to ireland with large army to punish
the rebelious Normans. John was a
roysterer and reckless, and his creation
perpetuated his reputation.
| 1t was first established for the sale
| Of horses and of cattle, but in its later
days became mere pleasure fair, and
the boisterous and humorous doings
| that characterized the annual gatherings
overshadowed the purposes Of its found
ing and have given it its unique and
worldwide renown. Originally, the fair
lasted two weeks, from Aug. 26 every
year, but later it was limited to one
week, and finally in 1855, it was abol-
ished as public and authorized event
because OF its riotousness, recklcssness
and wild carousings. .....
But if Donnybrook Fair has been
abolished, it will always live in the an
mails of the day, and more particularly
in the rollicking song of Edward Ly-
saght, affectionately known as Pleasant
Ned Lysaght," entitled:
THE sPRIG OF SHILLELAH.
| o! love is the soul OF neat Irishman
He loves all that is lovely, loves all that
he can,
With his sprig OF shillelah and sham
rock so green!
His heart is good humored, it's honest
and sound,
No envy or malice is there to be found; !;
| He courts and he marries, he drinks
and he fights,
For love, all for love, for in that he
delights,
With his sprig Of shillelah and sham
rock so green
Who has e'cr had the luck to see
Donnybrook Fair?
An 1ristman all in his glory is there,
With his sprig OF shllelah and sham
rock so grcen
His clothes spick and span new, with
out e'er a speck,
A neat Barcelona tied round his white
neck;
He meets with friend and for love
knocks him down,
With his sprig of shillelah and sham
rock so green!
At evening returning, as homeward he
goes,
His heart soft with whiskey, his head
soft with blows,
From sprirg OF shillclah and sham
rock SO green!
He meets with his Sheclah, who, frown-
Ing smile,
Cries, Git We gone, Pat yet consents
all the while,
To the priest soon they go, and nine
months after that
A baby cries out, "How dye do, father
Pat"
With your sprig OF stillclah and sham
rock so green!
Bless the country, say I, that gave Pat
rick his birth,
Bless the land of the oak and its neigh