My life with magician Gerard Kearney: Barry Keoghan asked me for tips while researching a role

Gerard Kearney from Cork fell in love with magic from a young age

Gerard Kearney showed actor Barry Keoghan some of his card tricks at Kerry Film Festival

Fate might have cemented my lifelong passion and career path, but I like to think it was magic.

1993 was a momentous year for me. I had just landed the role of Big Con in War of the Buttons — a movie set in West Cork depicting the secret rivalry between two young gangs in neighbouring villages.

At 13 years old, it was great to be with so many kids my own age. It was less fun, however, for the adults on set. Having so many children on a shoot was a recipe for disaster, so they needed to devise a plan that would keep us out of trouble. News of a talent show spread through the set like chicken pox. Cast and crew were now preparing for their grand finale, which had been scheduled as part of the much-anticipated wrap party.

The plan seemed to be working as the kids’ focus had shifted from work- related matters to perfecting their acts. Although I had never tried it up to that point, magic always intrigued me. I rang my mother and asked if she could pick me up a magic set. The Paul Daniels magic set was the most popular of its day. I used it to practise every day I wasn’t working.

The day of the wrap party arrived, and I finally had the chance to show off my act in a venue in Union Hall, West Cork. I’m pretty sure it was the worst magic show ever performed. Still, I was hooked. Even at my tender age, I knew I wanted to make magic my life’s work. All my friends at the time were into soccer, but I never got the same buzz from it that they did. Magic was the first thing that really clicked for me. I continued to collect tricks after that and really study magic.

The first thing I did was visit the library, where I checked out a book called The Magician’s Handbook by Hay Henry. The librarian let me keep it, and over the course of a year, I read that book from cover to cover.

Then, in 1996, at the age of 16, I got the chance of a lifetime to meet the magician Paul Daniels. He was best known for the Paul Daniels Magic Show on BBC1. Even though the programme was no longer on the air, he was still touring before his death in 2016. A friend of my mum’s, who was a journalist at the time, organised my first meeting with him at Cork Opera House.

We met up each time he came to Cork after that. From the first time we met, he knew I was more than just a fan. When I was able to recite from some of the books I had read, he knew I was someone on a path.

Gerard Kearney from Cork who has impressed celebrities like Barry Keoghan with his magic.

Years later, when I had made a career for myself as a magician, I bumped into another household name. It was at a film festival in Killarney that I befriended movie star Barry Keoghan. This time round, it wasn’t me who was seeking advice. On the contrary, the actor was keen to get some tips from me as part of a role he was researching for.

I happened to have my cards with me that night, so I was able to give him a few pointers. I showed him how to look like somebody who held cards regularly. Similar to how a carpenter holds a hammer, you can tell a real magician by the way he holds his cards. One thing that struck me about Barry was how down-to-Earth he was. He was also very ambitious and absolutely laser-focused on what his goals were.

Magic has helped me interact with people in a way that might not otherwise have been possible. I was a very introverted child, but magic helped me come out of myself. It has helped me be more sociable than I naturally am.

Unfortunately, I am probably one of few magicians left. Magic is one of those things that involves more than you can imagine. There are a lot of people learning tricks from the likes of YouTube, but that is different to being a student of magic. A student of magic goes to conventions and mixes with other magicians. They sit down and listen to lecturers and deep dive into literature.

Over the years, my magic has evolved. There was a time when my cards came everywhere with me. I practised every spare moment I got, but my approach is different now.

Any impromptu performance involves whatever is at my disposal, which could be anything from a ring or coin from someone’s pocket. I like using everyday objects as part of my tricks because it adds a layer of authenticity. That, for me, is what magic is all about.

• Gerard Kearney is a professional magician and actor based in Cork. corkmagician.ie