In Killorglin, Co Kerry, yesterday, the sole reigning monarch was a wild mountain goat aged 10 years and with a 27-inch horn span.
The newly crowned King Louis of Puck Fair, however, barely glanced at the Sinn Féin stand where a Maggie Thatcher "wanted" poster was displayed alongside wooden plaques of the hunger strikers, sepia shots of Michael Collins, Wolfe Tones CDs, high crosses and wooden harps, all for sale.
"We're here every year, but it's bigger this year," a Sinn Féin representative said.
The stand was one of about 150 licensed by the committee to trade at the three-day fair. Cheap shirts, stress reduction acupressure and a plethora of jewellery was on offer.
Perhaps in an ominous sign for Guinness, sponsors of the festival, a mobile phone-size self-breath alcohol tester was attracting huge interest - it gives the thumbs down at less than a pint for some.
King Louis received his crown from 12-year old queen of Puck Fair Kelley Moriarty, to the live strains of An Puc ar Buile by Sean Ó Sé. The goat king had been paraded at the head of 30 floats and marching bands, then hoisted 50 feet into the air where he will remain enthroned for three nights.
The new monarch faced stiff competition from a rival bronze King Puck at the bridge over the Laune River at the entrance to the town where families queued to be photographed at the Alan Ryan Hall statue erected in 2001.
Puck committee member and stalwart Declan Falvey said the bronze goat was really only a hint of what could be achieved with "the Puck brand" had someone the time to put it into practice. Much could be done with goats, not just workshops on bodhrán-making and heritage, Mr Falvey waxed outside Falvey's pub where a trad session was in full swing. "Puck is more than economic, it's cultural, it's social, it's the fibre of the community," he said.
Even the twentysomething-year-olds wouldn't dream of not taking the week off to come home for Puck, he said.
The horse fair began earlier than usual yesterday - and deals on many of the quality horses were actually done the night before. There were murmurings about the quality of what was left over by 8am.
However working horses were still fetching up to €4,000, unbroken two-year-olds €3,000 and mare donkeys outstripped ponies, fetching €1,400 as against a mere €800 for a pony, according to some dealers.
Puck Fair continues today with a traditional cattle fair, and will finish on tomorrow, Scattering Day. Live music acts and lunchtime concerts on the street include Frances Black tonight and music by Jimmy Crowley tomorrow.