Top magicians pulled out of hat for international festival in Cork

Some of the world’s top magicians have been pulled out of the hat for a major international festival of magic in Cork later this month.

And organisers have a few tricks up their sleeves to ensure that ordinary fans of magic, as well as practising magicians and people interested in pursuing a career in magic, will be entertained.

Organised by the Southern Brotherhood of Magicians, the International Festival of Magic will take place in Cork for the first time — from Apr 27 to 29.

The group is part of the International Brotherhood of Magicians — a worldwide organisation with affiliate clubs, called Rings. There are two such Rings in Ireland — Ring 85 and Ring 363, which is based in Cork.

Cork-based magician, Gerard Kearney, played a key role in bringing the event to Cork.

“This is creating a huge buzz in the magic community,” Mr Kearney said. “But it is also going to be of great interest to people who are just interested in magic.”

The weekend-long event will be based at the Ambassador Hotel and the day sessions are aimed at working magicians.

It will include lectures, workshops, trade secret swapping, and magic equipment sales.

But it will also include two public performances at the Triskel Arts Centre.

“We are bringing in very high-calibre magicians. And it will provide a very rare opportunity for people so see so many big names in one room at the same time. The public shows are not to be missed.”

The Friday night show will feature Quentin Reynolds, with his Psychic Game Show.

The gala Saturday night show, hosted by broadcaster Aonghus McAnally, will feature some of the top magicians from Ireland, Britain, Europe and the US, including:

* Card trick maestro Helder Guimaraes, the 2006 Champion of Magic who last week won Parlour Magician of the Year from the Academy of Magical Arts;

* Top mentalist Luke Jermay, who has worked as a consultant for Derren Brown and Criss Angel, and who is the magic consultant on the hit US TV show, The Mentalist;

* John Lenehan, one of the most sought after corporate entertainers in Britain, who has hosted the BBC’s Secrets of Magic, and Stuff the White Rabbit, and ITV’s Hoaxbusters tv shows;

* Diamond Jim Tyler, who performs at the world-famous Magic Castle in California, and Paul Gordon, one of Britain’s leading professional close-up magicians, will also feature.

Tickets, priced €15, are available from the Triskel. SoHo Bar and Restaurant are the main sponsors.

* magicuncorked.com