This once incipient Shire held its first official meeting on October 10, 1976 (AS XI). The group was founded by M'lady Aeruin, who was also the first seneschal and hosted the group's first event - a Revel held at Aeruin's house on November 21, 1976.
The group's name, "An Crosaire'" means "The Crossroads" in Irish Gaelic. The name refers to the fact that the group is located near the intersection of I10 and I75, which serve the main north-south & east-west routes through the northern and western parts of the state. The group was very nearly named "Cockadrill Hill" instead of "An Crosaire". The Baronial Newsletter is called "Caw Esfee Shin" (which is also the Barony's unofficial motto), which means "Where do we eat?" in Irish Gaelic. After every weekly meeting you can still hear the populace asking each other "Caw esfee shin?" as we discuss where to congregate for post-meeting social time.
The Barony traditionally hosts two large Baronial events a year. The fall event, Michaelmas, was first held by the Shire on November 14, 1976. The spring event, St. Valentine's Day, was first held on February 11, 1978.
The Kingdom of Trimaris' Fall Crown Tourneyment is traditionally held at an event called Martinmas Moot. The Shire of An Crosaire hosted the very first Martinmas Moot on November 11, 1977, before Trimaris was even a Principality! The first Martinmas Moot was fighters' clinic held at Torreya State Park near Marianna, Florida. Sir Jack Nimble, a Knight of Meridies (Baton Rouge) was the honored guest and chief instructor at that event as there were no "local" knights in An Crosaire yet.
In the spring of 1979 as the Shire of An Crosaire prepared for the investiture of their founding baron and baroness, the nearby group of Mathom Trove was founded (February 1979). "Mathom Trove" means "Place of Earthly Pleasures". The Barony's other Canton, Amurgorod, was founded as the Shire of Amurgorod in 1989 and became a Canton to the Barony in 2011. "Amurgorod" means "City of Honor".
Mathom Trove hosted their first event, St. George's Faire, just two months later on April 28, 1979 at Univcorn's Keype. St. George's Faire also saw the investiture of the Founding Baron & Baroness of An Crosaire, Tetsuo & Kimineko, with Mathom Trove taking their place as a Canton of the Barony. St. George's Faire remains one of the high points of the Trimarian calendar to this day.
Tetsuo & Kimineko guided the barony from April 1979 to October of 1988, establishing many of the traditions that are still a part of the Barony today. During their tenure as Baron and Baroness of An Crosaire, they also had the good fortune to serve as Prince and Princess of the Principality of Trimaris (February to September of 1983), establishing a long tradition of service to the principality and kingdom. An Crosaire has been the home (past and present) of a number of Trimaris' monarchs, including (in order of reign) Viscount Tetsuo, Viscountess Kimineko, Duke Llywelyn, Duke Toirdhealbhach, Countess Una, Count Quentin, Countess Cara, Earl Seosaidh, Countess Erika, Countess Dulcia, and Countess Slain.
Each year during the winter holiday season, the Barony hosts an unofficial non-event called The Feast of St. Benet. This is the traditional Christmas/Yule Revel for Barony, it's Cantons, and their honored guests. The first Feast of St. Benet was held on January 12, 1980.
Another important event in the Baronial calendar, and in the Kingdom calendar as well, is the annual Demo at the Hoggetowne Faire in Gainesville, Florida. The first Hoggetowne Medieval Faire was held in 1985 as a joint project between the City of Gainesville and the Barony of An Crosaire and served as a fundraiser for the city. It was held in the gardens of the Thomas Center in downtown Gainesville, had a budget of $500, was open for 5 hours and drew about 2,000 patrons. Within a couple years the Faire had outgrown the downtown location and was relocated to the County Fairgrounds where it quickly become a more "professional" Renaissance Faire, though the Barony of An Crosaire continues to play a featured role and draws participants from around Trimaris and also from our Meridien neighbors to the north each year.
The 25th Annual Hoggetowne Medieval Faire was held in January 29-30 & February 4-6, 2011. These days the Faire is run by the City of Gainesville's Division of Cultural Affairs, though still raises money for the city. The Faire is open for two full weekends, plus a kids' education day on the Friday between (with school kids from all around the area are bussed in to enjoy the fun of the fair) and SCA members are there demonstrating combat arts, the peaceful arts & sciences and our unique art of spectacle throughout the entire length of the Faire. In fact, the Barony of An Crosaire, with the help of our vollunteers from outside the Barony, occupies the single largest demonstration space at the Hoggetowne Faire and is the largest overall demo in the Kingdom of Trimaris. Each year the SCA presence at the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire educates thousands about life in the Middle Ages and hundreds of Trimarians can proudly tell you that they found the SCA there!
The budget for the Faire is now over $200,000 per year, with over 150 vendors and 120 performers, and drawing over 55,000 attendees. Attendance has grown so much, in fact, that plans have been announced to relocate the Faire to a larger site in the next few years. Not bad for a something started by the SCA and the City as a little local faire & demo!
