Donnybrook Fair
Preserved but no longer current.
This fair, held in August from the time of King John, till 1 855, was noted for its bacchanalian orgies and light-hearted rioting. Hence it is proverbial for a disorderly gathering or a regular rumpus. The village was a mile and a half south-east of Dublin, and is now one of its suburbs.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Donnybrook Fair” mean?
This fair, held in August from the time of King John, till 1 855, was noted for its bacchanalian orgies and light-hearted rioting. Hence it is proverbial for a disorderly gathering or a regular rumpus. The village was a mile and a half south-east of Dublin, and is now one of its suburbs.
Is “Donnybrook Fair” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.