The story of an unusual sculpture that became the result of an old tradition of coronating a goat (12 photos)

A proud bronze goat stands as a timeless symbol of Ireland's oldest festival where a goat is made king.





This unusual statue of a goat wearing a crown is located at the entrance to the town of Killorglin on the amazingly scenic Ring of Kerry route.



The King Puck statue in Killorglin was erected to commemorate one of County Kerry's most important annual festivals held in August. The statue, created by artist Alan Ryan Hall, depicts a goat known as King Puck and is located by the bridge over the River Laune at the entrance to the town.





The statue pays homage to the Paka goat, which is the subject of a major festival every year. A wild goat is caught in the mountains, brought to the city, and crowned by a young local girl, the Queen of Paka.



Then the animal is placed on a high platform, where it towers over the city for 3 days, like a proud ruler. True, sitting in a cage, so that it does not escape prematurely.



During his reign, various family entertainment and musical events take place, as well as traditional fair days, long associated with the festival. The opening day of the fair is traditionally called the Day of Gathering, and the last day of the festival is called the Day of Scattering. At the end of the festival, the horned ram is taken back to the mountains and released.



The origins of the festival and its symbolism are lost in time, but it dates back to at least the 1600s, and most likely much older. Some say the festival has its roots in pagan symbolism and rituals, but the most popular theory about how the fair began is linked to Oliver Cromwell.



As the story goes, Cromwell's English troops were making their way to Killorglin when they scared off a flock of goats. One of the goats galloped into the town, and when it emerged, tired and agitated, the people of Killorglin knew something was wrong. They were able to fortify their town against the invading force, and it was saved. It is believed that Puck Fair was founded in honor of this goat.



In recent years, due to protests from animal rights activists, they tried to cancel the festival. However, after meeting with active resistance from local residents, the authorities came to a compromise and put King Pak on display not for three days, but for just a couple of hours.