Long ago and for many years in Newry we had the pleasure and indeed excitement of an annual visit of a Travelling Fair that was more popularly referred to by locals as ‘The Hobbies’ or ‘The Hobby Horses’.

The allocated site was the Market in John Mitchell Place: in earlier days prior to the erection of the Medical Clinic at the William Street end, this encompassed a much larger area.

At the arrival of what seemed an endless convoy of trucks and caravans the excitement mounted and the somewhat impatient looks on the youngsters’ faces was plain to be seen.

Local young men were hired to assist in the mammoth task of off-loading and erecting the gargantuan construction. The work was indeed difficult but – for these locals at least, seeing the children’s expressions as the Fair gradually took shape compensated for the hard labour.

Then after what seemed a lifetime came the big day, the ‘Opening Night’. In no time the Market Place was packed as a mass of people had already been queuing outside the locked gates.

The owner, a Belfast man named Billy Erskine and his team of regular employees were known to most Newry folk.

Here not only did we have a fairground but a wonderful venue for parents and their children, friends meeting and young boys and girls getting acquainted. Many a romantic relationship developed there. The community spirit was brilliant as many people from all walks of life congregated there. All in all everyone certainly had an enjoyable time.

In addition to all this it was also an opportunity for some young people to earn some money doing various jobs. The usual weekly wage was thirty bob £1.10s (£1.50p.) I was fortunate to be engaged in the ‘Pongo’ or ‘Housey Housey’ Tent  (now more familiarly known as Bingo).

My particular job was to throw wooden balls into what I can only describe as a ‘square shaped well’ which consisted of various coloured numbered holes adequately sized to accommodate the thrown balls. The ‘caller’ of course would announce these random numbers to the players who in turn would cover them with a marker of sorts if they were fortunate to match them on their wooden cards.

Some people would even go to extreme lengths and make their own style markers. These varied from buttons or carefully cut rounded pieces of cardboard. I marvel at the time and patience it must have taken those enthusiastic Bingo participants to make and even design their own customized buttons.

As for my younger brother Brian - now he landed a wonderful job for two or three seasons. He was based in the Public Address Trailer which was simply referred to as ‘The Van’. His job was playing records each night and making the occasional announcements when required. Not bad for thirty bob a week.

The saddest thing for the younger children was having to come away from the Hobbies of an evening for in those days parents tended to have their kids in bed quite early. It was particularly sad for us Deans as youngsters and living in River Street which is only a short distance from the Market.

As we lay in bed we could still hear the music, announcements and all the other sounds which a Fairground generates. It seemed ages before we eventually fell asleep.

 
Michael Mathers, Danny McDonald (bike) and Tommy Markey, 1945

But alas, all good things must come to an end. The final day of the Funfair always came too soon. The task of dismantling all the apparatus and loading them back onto the trucks seemed to take a lot less time than the actual erection on arrival.

When loaded, the convoy one by one departed very swiftly through the market gates and suddenly they were gone leaving a very desolate Market Place and desolated youngsters.

Eventually after many years, the Carnival ceased to visit Newry. Maybe it was the unavailability of a site or it had just become economically unviable.

What became of the Carnival owner Billy Erskine? Well, the entrepreneur that he was. He was certain to find and face a new challenge.

He suddenly emerged and launched the first and biggest-ever fully updated Bingo sessions in our town, the venue being The Parochial Hall.

Needless to say he was welcomed with open arms.

Here was a man who gave the youngsters of Newry much enjoyment for many years and now he was doing it for the older generation.

But to this day, even when I take my own children to some of the larger fairs here in England, I can’t help but reminisce about that initial excitement a long time ago when ‘The Hobbies came to Town’.

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