Ould Lammas Fair Ballycastle 2026

The Ould Lammas Fair is one of those rare events that has been running so long it has become part of the landscape. Granted its charter in 1606, it claims to be the oldest fair in Ireland, and when you stand in Ballycastle’s Diamond on a Monday morning at the end of August, watching dealers size up horses on Fairhill Street and a queue forming at the yellowman stall, you can believe it. This is a proper street fair - two full days of buying, selling, bartering and eating, drawing well over 100,000 visitors across the bank holiday weekend. It suits anyone with a curiosity about traditional Irish life, families looking for something with real atmosphere, and anyone who has never tried yellowman and should.

What to expect

The fair takes over Ballycastle town centre on the final Monday and Tuesday of August. The Diamond and surrounding streets fill with hundreds of stalls selling everything from crafts and clothing to fresh produce and household goods. Two foods define the fair above all others: yellowman, a brittle honeycomb confection made in slabs, and dulse, dried edible seaweed with a salty, chewy bite. Both have been sold here for centuries and you will find them at stalls throughout the streets.

Horse and livestock trading takes place at Fairhill Street, the oldest and most traditional part of the fair. Deals are still struck by handshake, and it draws genuine traders as well as spectators. Elsewhere, an artisan marketplace, street entertainment and fairground rides fill out the two days. The fair runs from early morning, and road closures are in place from 8am to 10pm on both days across Quay Road, Ann Street, the Diamond and Castle Street.

Getting there

Ballycastle sits on the north Antrim coast, roughly 55 miles north of Belfast via the M2/A26/A44 - about an hour by car in normal traffic, longer on fair days when the town fills. Translink run an enhanced Ulsterbus service to Ballycastle during fair weekend; check translink.co.uk for times nearer the date. A paid park-and-ride shuttle operates from the GAA Club on Whitepark Road, with buses approximately every 20 minutes from around 9am. Harbour parking in town is limited, and the park-and-ride is the recommended option. Disabled parking bays are available at Market Street and The Marina Car Park on a first-come, first-served basis.

While you’re in Ballycastle

Ballycastle is a good base for the wider north Antrim coast - Rathlin Island ferries leave from the harbour, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge is a short drive west, and the Giant’s Causeway is within easy reach along the Causeway Coastal Route. There is more to see in Ballycastle and across Co. Antrim.

Good to know

• Dates: Monday 31 August and Tuesday 1 September 2026
• Times: Stalls from early morning; road closures 8am - 10pm both days
• Entry: Free to the fair streets; individual traders set their own prices
• What to try: Yellowman and dulse - both widely available from street stalls
• Getting there: Park-and-ride from GAA Club, Whitepark Road (paid shuttle, runs approx. every 20 min)
• Check: visitcausewaycoastandglens.com for any updates on dates and transport closer to the event
• Accessibility: Accessible toilets at Ferry Terminal, Marina, Tennis Courts and Market Street; accessible portaloos throughout; Mobile Accessible Changing Unit at The Seafront and The Diamond; park-and-ride shuttle is wheelchair accessible