Fairs & Marts / Loughrea Fairgreen, General

Correspondence between GCC, Loughrea Town Commissioners, Solicitors (Orpen & Sweeney, Dublin, and V P Shields & Son, Loughrea), the Dept of Local Government, and others regarding the possible purchase from the Harewood Estate of the tolls & customs at Loughrea, and subsequently from Ryan. Includes,

• Copy letter from GCC to Orpen & Sweeny indicating they understand the executors of the late Earl of Harewood have ‘dedicated to sell the tolls and the Fairgreen to MR Ryan for the sum £2,000. Galway County Council regrets this decision to dispose of this property to a private individual.  The Council is particularly anxious that the Fairgreen should be vested in the Galway County Council, and it recommends that while the tolls may be sold to Mr Ryan, the Fairgreen should be sold to the Galway County Council, and should be bested in it.’ (11Oct 1948) (Ryan had rented the tolls & Customs from the estate for many years; right to collect tolls was vested in the Ryan family since before 1858 ( 5 Nov 1951).
• Copy letter from Co. Secretary to V P Shields, Solicitors for Ryan regarding an agreement to purchase the Tolls & Customs, Fairgreen (approx 4 acres) and relative properties (e.g. weighbridge, loading bank, weigh bridge at Barrack St, and weighing crane at Cathedral Place  from Ryan for £4,250, ‘The main object of the purchase which the Manager is recommending is to secure the improvement of the Fairgreen and the removal of fairs from the streets of the town’ (14  Aug 1952). MO No. 2317 relating to the purchase of the Loughrea Tolls and Fairgreen (7 Oct 1952).
• MO. No. 25452, that application be made to the Minister for Local Government for an Order under Section 1 of the Public Health (Ireland) Act 1896, constituting the GCC as a market Authority for the Town of Loughrea (30 Apr 1953). Copy of Order signed by Patrick Smith (Stamped) Minister for Local Government approving its resolution at its meeting of 17^th October 1953 relating to the provision of ‘..a market place and construct a market house and other conveniences for the purpose of holding markets…’ (9 Apr 1954).
• Report from Co. Engineer's report to Co. Secretary advising the estimated cost of development of Fairgreen would be between £15,000 and £16,000 (10 Sept 1954).
• Letter from L E O’Dea (Solicitors for GCC) to Co. Secretary (W Looney) that the purchase had concluded (15 Dec 1954.
• Copy letter from GCC to the Dept of Local Government regarding an application for a loan of £22,000 for the purchase of the Fair Green and market rights at Loughrea and for the development of the new Fair Green (15 Oct 1956).
• Correspondence regarding cattle marts & GCC's entitlement to collect tolls on castle sold at auction marts (1958)
• Copy letter from A/ Co. Manager to Dept of Local Government outlining the situation regarding charging of tolls by GCC in Ballinasloe, Loughrea, Athenry and Tuam (29 Dec 1958).
• Application form for loan of £4,400 to cover the capital expenditure already incurred on the purchase of the fairgreen and fair and toll rights (24 Mar 1965).
• Permissions to use the Fairgreen for various events, such as circus and marquee (Tom Duff & Son Circus and Cumann Bhreadain Naomh) (1980-1981).