The coming of the railway in 1858 was an important event for Clones. This was the connection to Dundalk which was followed by lines to Cavan in 1862 and to Belfast in 1863. Fair days were busy days for Clones and the trains brought people and produce from many regions. Trains on the Cavan line would bring in young cattle in wagons that had loaded in Mullingar or Belturbet. Trains from Belfast would bring buyers from Down or Armagh. Trains from Dublin might bring buyers from Meath. The roads would bring the cattle driven by the farmers from Fermanagh and Monaghan.

On market day Clones diamond would be lined with carts containing hay, sucking pigs, or potatoes. Close to the railway station, there were four hotels, Tummons, McCaffreys, The Creighton and The Coffee Stand (Mrs Barnes). Stewart Creighton remembers his mother’s stories of working there. The cattle dealers would arrive the night before the fair and lodge for the night. From 6 a.m. in the morning, the place was busy cooking and serving breakfasts for the dealers who wanted to be out to meet the farmers coming into the fair. Meals were served throughout the day and in the late afternoon, after seeing their purchases loaded on cattle wagons, dealers would be back to pick up their bags, eat a final meal and settle up, before departing on the evening train. Stewart’s father, Bob would have been at the fair too. At that time, he was hired to a farmer, a Mr.Bamford, beside Fivemiletown. Regularly they brought loads of hay from there to Clones fair.

Bob, with a horse and cart piled high with a load of hay, all rolled into bundles called wops, would set out on the day before the fair, to come to Mr. Bamford’s brother who farmed beside Clones. Normally when a horse is taken out of the cart, the shafts come to rest on the ground, or the cart is tipped back on its heels. In this case, because of the size of the load, either the shafts would break or the load would capsize. This couldn’t be allowed to happen so they had a device in a shed whereby the cart could be backed in and the heels of the cart fitted into slots and secured. Then the wheels were wedged and the cart fixed level so that it could not tip. The horse was carefully unharnessed and led out. Bob and the horse had a night’s rest and then early in the morning, they tackled up again and headed for their pitch on Clones diamond. His employer and his wife would arrive in their pony and trap, often bringing other goods for sale, maybe hens or settings of eggs in the spring. Mr Bamford would sell the hay in lots. A small farmer might buy so many bundles or a bigger farmer might buy a whole load or half of the load, in which case, Bob might have to deliver it if it wasn’t too far away.

A day of wheeling and dealing would ensue. Meanwhile, dealers had to be fed and many a deal had to be finished with a drink. All this meant money and employment for shops and workers. In the late afternoon, the cattle wagons would depart with their loads of cattle for fattening on the better lands of Meath or Down or cross-channel. The shop keepers would count their takings:- the farm machinery saleman of the day for scythe blades, spades, graipes, ropes, nails; the harness maker or mender for various items of harness, or the twine and leather for repair at home; the grocer for his sales, tea, sugar, flour and other necessities. The various eating houses and pubs could clear up and count their takings. Farmers would return home, sad or merry depending on their luck. Some brought home money in their pockets or replacement stock. The very fortunate brought back both.

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