An aonach or óenach was an ancient Irish public national assembly called upon the death of a king, queen, or notable sage or warrior as part of ancestor worship practices.
The custom of rejoicing after a funeral was then enshrined in the Cuiteach Fuait, games of mental and physical ability accompanied by a large market for traders.
[citation needed] The most notable fair, that held under the auspices of the High King of Ireland and the Uí Néill, was the Óenach Tailten or "Tailteann Games", which is given prehistoric origins by medieval writers.
The compilers of the Irish annals considered violence and disorders at this óenach, or the failure of the incumbent High King to hold the fair, to be of note.
In the 1920s the Irish Free State organised 'Aonach an Gharda' which were Garda sports days, the goal of this was to promote athleticism and Gaelic culture.