THIS WEEK, ORGANISERS of the annual Puck Fair in Killorglin announced a major break with tradition in reducing the amount of time the King Puck goat will spend on the raised platform.

Last year, the Department of Agriculture received close to 200 contacts to its Animal Welfare Helpline in relation to the event — resulting in the goat being brought down from the platform on several occasions. 

This year, the Puck Fair Committee unanimously agreed to change the role of the goat in proceedings, greatly shortening the amount of time the animal will spend on the raised caged platform over the town. This year, the goat will make a token visit to the platform at the beginning of the ceremony, and will make a brief appearance on the platform on the final day of the ceremony.

Traditionally, King Puck would spend the entire three days of the festival on the raised platform before being brought down to be crowned and led back into the wild.

Today we want to know… Do you agree with the change?

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