Appleby
Irish Travellers, also called pavees, are a traditionally itinerant ethnic group who maintain a set of traditions. They are predominantly english speaking. The origins of this nomadic group are far from known. There are several assumptions that are difficult to verify given the oral tradition of this people: the Pavee derive from an ancient nomadic people, the Tarish. They descend from landowners who have lost their possessions as a result of the conquest of Ireland by Oliver Cromwell and the famine that struck the country in the XIX Century. Or their ancestor was an artisan who had agreed to merge the nails to build the cross of Christ, and was therefore condemned to wander without finding a permanent abode. Travellers converge at the horse fairs to buy and sell horses, meet with friends and relations, and to celebrate their music, history and folklore. Appleby’s Fair takes place every year in June, It’s one of the biggest and oldest in Europe. It is held outside the town at a crossroads on the Roman Road near to Gallows Hill (named after the public hangings that were once carried out there).
