The organisers of Puck Fair have announced a “significant change” in the role played by a wild goat in this year’s festival.
The three-day annual event in Killorglin, Co. Kerry, dating back over 400 years, sees a male mountain-goat crowned ‘King Puck’ and placed on a raised platform in the town.
Last year, over 175 calls were made to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) in relation to the goat.
Concerns were raised by animal welfare organisations and members of the public about the well-being of the goat in the hot, sunny weather during the event last August.
The Puck Fair Organising Committee brought the animal down from the platform twice due to the heat, before reinstating him later.
Puck Fair
Launching the 2023 festival, which runs from August 10-12, the committee said that the wild goat will be crowned and “raised for a short period on the opening evening of the fair”.
A statement outlined that the goat will then leave the stand before making “a brief reappearance for his dethroning ceremony on the final day of Puck Fair”.
This marks a significant change from the tradition of King Puck remaining on his stand above the town for the three days of the festival.
The new approach was unanimously agreed by the committee.
Speaking at the festival’s launch, chairperson of the organising committee, Declan Falvey, highlighted the importance of the festival to the town.
“It’s a special few days for Killorglin and its diaspora to come together and celebrate the town’s history and traditions, and we look forward to welcoming people from across the globe back to Killorglin this August.
“We are a festival steeped in longstanding traditions, but equally, we acknowledge that traditions can and should evolve where there is good reason to do so.
“While King Puck will still be a major part of the festival, this year his role has evolved. The goat’s welfare has always been and remains of paramount importance to the committee and all of those that love Puck Fair.”
Similar to previous years, the goat will continue to be overseen and checked by a vet before, during and after his involvement with the fair.
Around 100,000 people are expected to descend on Killorglin for the festival.
Meanwhile, a Kerry county councillor has claimed that the Puck Fair committee was put in “an impossible position” due to pressure from both animal rights protesters and corporate sponsors.
“Locally, we all know that there is no wild animal better treated in Ireland than the annual Killorglin puck goat,” Councillor Michael Cahill said.
“Feelings are running very high around the Killorglin/mid and south Kerry region because of this decision, as Puck has been part of all our lives growing up.
“We could not envisage life without King Puck and of course it is upsetting to see it threatened in any way,” the Fianna Fáil representative said.
“Puck Fair is the oldest festival in lreland, running well over 400 years and has contributed enormously to the local economy of the town and village surrounding areas and this wonderful, hardworking and caring organising committee deserves all our support in ensuring Puck Fair returns to its former glory,” he added.