festival of Lughnasa which symbolised the beginning of the harvest season, and that the goat is a pagan fertility symbol. In 1931, Margaret Murray tied the Puck Fair into her version of the witch-cult hypothesis, asserting that it was a pre-Christian festival in honour of the Horned God. However, historians Jeffrey B. Russell and Brooks Alexander have asserted that "Today, scholars are agreed that Murray was more than just wrong – she was completely and embarrassingly wrong on nearly all of her basic premises." In 1941, a ballet entitled Puck Fair, based on a poem about the fair by F.R. Higgins, was staged at the Gaiety Theatre. The ballet was choreographed by Cepta Cullen and composed by Elizabeth Maconchy, with set design by Mainie Jellet. The 2020 and 2021 festivals were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the event returned in 2022. High temperatures necessitated taking the goat down from its high stand for a number of breaks. See also Gaelic Ireland Irish mythology References Footnotes Sources Cultural festivals in Ireland Festivals in Ireland Irish culture Tourist attractions in the Republic of Ireland Tourist attractions in Ireland by county Festivals established in 1603 1603 establishments in Ireland Summer events in the Republic of Ireland