This weekend marked the beginning of the 300-year-old Great October Fair, in Ballinasloe, east of Galway. The nine days will see traders and travelers get down to the serious business of horse trading. 

According to the Irish Independent due to a lack of funding local sponsors raised the $219,000 needed to run the nine-day program. Over the course of the fair it is expected to attract over 800,000 visitors.

Here are some photos taken over the first weekend of the fair: