About three o'clock
Cows lowing , sheep bleating , pigs grunting , horses neighing , men shouting , women screaming , fiddlers playing , pipes squeeling , youngsters , dancing , hammering up of standings and tents , thumping of restive or lazy animals , the show-man 's drum , the lottery-man 's speech , the ballad-singer 's squall , all come upon us ; and lastly , the unheeded sweep of the death-bell , as it tells with sullen tongues that some poor mortal has for ever departed from the cares and amusements , the trade and traffic , of this transitory life . About twelve o'clock the fair-tide is full ; for that is the time in which the greatest interchange of property , and the most vigorous transactions of business , with all accompanying bustle and activity , take place . For an hour or two this continues . About three o'clock the tide is evidently on the ebb ; business begins to slacken , and those who have their transactions brought to a close , meet their families and friends at the place of rendezvous -- always a public house . It is now , indeed , when the heat and burden of the day have passed , and refreshment becomes both grateful and necessary , that the people fall into distinct groups for the purpose of social enjoyment . If two young folk have been for some time `` _ coortin _ '' one another , `` the bachelor , '' which in Ireland means a suitor , generally contrives to bring his friends and those of , his sweetheart together . The very fact of their accepting the `` thrate , '' on either side , or both , is a good omen , and considered tantamount to a mutual consent of their respective connections .