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Teagmháil
A monochrome illustration featuring a circus theme. On the left, a man in a formal 19th-century suit and top hat stands holding a walking cane. Beside him is a large African elephant. In the background, a traditional 'big top' circus tent is visible. The right side, set against a dark, speckled background, shows three circus performers or clowns in suits and hats. One plays a trumpet, the second a drum, and the third a saxophone.

Plaque 5: Plaque Time Travellers Guide

Plaque 5:  Duffy’s Circus

 

School:

Scoil Phadraig National School

 

Characters:

  • Narrator
  • Brian
  • Tom
  • Jack

 

Setting:

Dialogue about Amazing Circus Acts in a Poster from the late 1930s or 1940s. Three boys from Scoil Phadraig National School  have gathered in the school yard to discuss an old colourful poster dating between the late 1930s and 1940s.

 

Narrator – 

It is lunch break at Scoil Phadraig National School and some of the boys have gathered in the school yard to discuss an old colourful poster dating between the late 1930s and 1940s. It details all the headline acts that performed at the John Duffy & Sons Circus also known as Ireland’s National Circus and travelling Zoo. The poster mentions the new Big Top designed on the continental style and the amazing artists many of whom were international acts from across the globe, from Switzerland, Belgium, London, America, Czech Republic, France and Asia with Irish acts also. The boys are excited to learn that the circus depot was very close to their school field. It was located at Galvin’s Service Station.

 

Brian:

Look at all those acts on the old John Duffy and Sons’ Circus poster! It must have been a very exciting show. I still can’t believe they stayed in Dunmanway during the Winter. It looks like this poster is dated in October . This was one of their last performances of each season before they Wintered here. My great grand dad told me they called the off -season – Wintering in Dunmanway.

Tom: 

I can’t believe that there was a circus behind the school field. I wonder if the young boys of  the circus families went to school here when they Wintered in Dunmanway ?

Jack: 

I like that the directors, John and James Duffy, are pictured at the top. That makes it feel like they were the big bosses of the whole circus- do you see where it says it was Ireland’s Mightiest Circus as well ?

Brian: 

And what a list of acts! There was Gentleman Jack with his pickpocket speciality and that season was his first time in Ireland- some Gentleman he was if he took your wallet or watch !!

Tom: 

Ben Hur sounds dramatic too — the Whirlwind Roman Gladiator.

Jack:

My favourite is Clem Merk’s lions. He was called “Superman” Merk, and he worked with performing lions. The town must have been very noisy with lions roaring all through the winter nights.

Brian: 

Imagine seeing all that in a circus ring in Dunmanway! not to mind having them live here too .

 

Tom: 

And there were trained dogs too — Cilla’s Dogs, the famous footballing dogs.

Jack: 

That’s funny. I can just picture them kicking a ball around.

Brian: 

There were so many other acts as well. Europe’s most daring high wire act of the time was the Truxa Troupe, and the Riding Cossacks with their double bar act.

Tom: 

Don’t forget the Trapeze! The Evrene Sisters were doing daring trapeze acts. 

Jack: 

And the Great Andoras did that “Slide for Life” act – they say- that was terrifying.

Brian: 

The Great Kerfino and Partner were a Dutch balancing act, and the Pontenellas were acrobatic gymnasts.

Tom:

There were elephants and miniature ponies, liberty horses, and even Minoru, the educated pony with the million-dollar brain – ah how odd was that ! Theres a rumour I heard that the elephant is buried in the next field. Some of the Elephants were called Salt and Pepper and Lilli Marlene – my Nan said she heard that before when she was young.

Jack: 

Plus, the Fabulous Glissons, the man who jumps on his head! That must have made everyone laugh.

Brian: 

It wasn’t all serious though — the clowns were there too, and international clowns called the Trio Colletti – and the poster calls them “Prize Eejits Every One.”

Tom: 

And the Silver Circus Band would have made the whole place feel lively and grand.

Jack:

Living in Dunmanway back then, especially if you lived in this side of town must have felt like living in a Circus all the time- except when they were on tour!  So, this wasn’t just a one-day visit — it was part of local life.

Brian: 

That poster feels like a little window into history.

Tom: 

Yes — a whole world of lions, horses, dogs, clowns, and acrobats!

Jack: 

Dunmanway must have been buzzing back then.

"A black and white photograph of John Duffy Circus posed together outdoors on a grassy field in front of a circus tent. The group consists of approximately twenty-four performers, including men, women, and a small child, displaying a wide variety of circus attire. In the back row, several men stand dressed in formal evening wear, including dinner jackets and bow ties. The middle and front rows feature a diverse assortment of characters: a clown in a checkered suit and top hat, a person in elaborate, heavily decorated traditional robes, a shirtless strongman displaying his muscular build, a performer in striped overalls and thick spectacles, several women in patterned dresses or performance leotards, and a white-faced clown in an ornate, ruffled costume. A small girl in a light-coloured dress stands to the far left.In the lower foreground, two dalmatian dogs are present; one stands on the left while the other sits next to a seated man. A collection of brass musical instruments, including a tuba and trombone, lies on the grass alongside a large bass drum and a snare drum on a stand.The background features an ornate, painted wooden circus façade serving as an entrance archway, decorated with illustrations of horses inside horseshoes and central carriage imagery. Behind this structure stands a large, light-coloured canvas circus tent (big top)."
John Duffy's Circus courtesy of The Irish Examiner
A black and white photograph depicting a wet, industrial dockside setting on an overcast day. The central focus is on two large Asian elephants standing side-by-side on a cobblestone surface next to a pavement. The ground is highly reflective, showing puddles and dampness from recent rain.To the left, a group of approximately eight men stand on the pavement watching the animals. The men are dressed in vintage mid-20th-century attire, including long trench coats, heavy overcoats, bowler hats, flat caps, and trilbies. Several of them hold umbrellas. To the right of the elephants stands a lone handler wearing a light-coloured, belted trench coat and a dark hat, holding a walking stick or hook.In the background, the industrial landscape includes a large crane structure mounted on a framework, distant warehouse buildings, and water, suggesting a port or harbour location where the animals have likely just been unloaded.
Salt and Pepper arriving at Cork Dock in 1931 (Photo courtesy of The Irish Examiner)
A close-up black and white photograph featuring three clowns from John Duffy’s circus performing with musical instruments against a plain, dark canvas background.The clown on the left is wearing a dark, checked jacket with contrasting trim and a fedora hat. His face is painted with exaggerated eyebrows, a large nose, and lines around his mouth; he is winking one eye while playing a silver trumpet.The central clown stands slightly behind a large marching bass drum. He wears a dark top hat and features classic sad-clown white makeup around his eyes and a wide, painted-on downturned mouth. He holds a drumstick in his hand.The clown on the right is dressed in a light-coloured, textured suit jacket with a white shirt and a dark bow tie, topped with a light bowler hat. His face paint includes white patches around his eyes and mouth, a dark red bulbous nose, and heavy dark lines down his cheeks. He is actively playing a saxophone.
The clowns of John Duffy's Circus in the early 1950s (Photo courtesy of The Irish Examiner)
A black and white photograph taken in John Duffy’s circus, showing a young child riding a small pony alongside an adult handler.The main subject is a fluffy, light-coloured Shetland pony standing in profile facing left. The pony is equipped with a dark leather bridle, reins, and a small saddle. Seated on the pony's back is a toddler or young baby, dressed in a thick, light-coloured winter coat and matching bonnet. The child is smiling and looking towards the right side of the frame.Standing directly behind the pony is a young man serving as the handler or trainer. He is dressed formally in a dark dinner suit, white shirt, and a dark bow tie, with a white pocket square visible in his breast pocket. He looks directly at the camera with a neutral expression. The background consists of a rustic wooden stable barrier or ring fence painted with light and dark triangular geometric patterns. The ground is covered in loose straw or hay, and heavy wooden support poles for a tent or barn structure are visible in the background.
John Duffy's Circus courtesy of The Irish Examiner
A 1917 report from the Skibbereen & West Carbery Eagle detailing the West Cork tour dates for John Duffy and Sons Circus, including their scheduled stop in Dunmanway on Tuesday, September 11th.
A 1917 report from the Skibbereen & West Carbery Eagle detailing the West Cork tour dates for John Duffy and Sons Circus, including their scheduled stop in Dunmanway on Tuesday, September 11th.
An advertisement for the John Duffy & Sons Circus tour, as printed in the Kilkenny Journal on 20/04/1946.
An advertisement for the John Duffy & Sons Circus tour, as printed in the Kilkenny Journal published 20th April 1946
The Irish Independent newspaper report from 16/11/1950 detailing the marriage of Lilian Duffy, "circus star" and youngest daughter of proprietor John Duffy, to Edward McFadden at St. Patrick’s Church. The celebration featured a guard of honour formed by clowns and a reception attended by 150 guests from the show world.
The Irish Independent newspaper report from 16/11/1950 detailing the marriage of Lilian Duffy, "circus star" and youngest daughter of proprietor John Duffy, to Edward McFadden at St. Patrick’s Church. The celebration featured a guard of honour formed by clowns and a reception attended by 150 guests from the show world.
An Armagh Guardian report on the sudden death of circus proprietor John Duffy at the family's winter quarters in Dunmanway, published 9 November 1956.
An Armagh Guardian report on the sudden death of circus proprietor John Duffy at the family's winter quarters in Dunmanway, published 9 November 1956.
The obituary of John Duffy, proprietor of John Duffy and Sons Circus, who passed away suddenly at the winter headquarters in Dunmanway while supervising preparations for the upcoming season. Printed in the Kilkenny Journal, 10 November 1956.
The obituary of John Duffy, proprietor of John Duffy and Sons Circus, who passed away suddenly at the winter headquarters in Dunmanway while supervising preparations for the upcoming season. Printed in the Kilkenny Journal, 10 November 1956.
An Irish Independent notice from July 1957 detailing the exotic new international lineup for the John Duffy & Sons Circus tour after wintering at their Dunmanway headquarters.
An Irish Independent notice from July 1957 detailing the exotic new international lineup for the John Duffy & Sons Circus tour after wintering at their Dunmanway headquarters.
A long, vertical black and white photograph of a detailed 1940 circus playbill for John Duffy & Sons Supreme Irish Circus. Stamped near the top for a visit to "CAPPAMORE TUES. APRIL 9", the text-heavy flyer promotes "A Barnum Show" featuring an extensive list of acts including "5 Oxfords International Cycling Stars", "3 Hirukawa Co. Wonderful Japanese Performers", and "Lill Duffy Hurricane Horse Act Riders".
John Duffy Circus Flyer from 1940
A black and white photograph of the John Duffy Circus pitched at the Showgrounds in Clonmel in 1956. The sprawling white canvas big top tent stands in the centre of an open field, adorned with small dark flags at its peaks. Several vintage living trailers, trucks, and support vehicles are parked in a neat row behind a low wooden post-and-rail fence in the foreground, with rolling hills rising in the distance.
John Duffy Circus at the Showgrounds in Clonmel in 1956
A black and white photograph of a packed layout promotional poster for John Duffy & Sons Circus from 1956. Under the large main heading "CIRCUS", the playbill displays numerous photo clippings and text advertisements for various touring circus acts. Features include "Hans Rohrl The Astounding Human Fountain!", "The Sensational Osados Troupe", "Patrick The Dope on the Rope", and "Rocca Troupe International Trampoline Performers".
John Duffy Circus Flyer from 1956
A historical black and white photograph capturing the early years of John Duffy's Circus. A troupe of performers, including clowns, acrobats in stage costumes, and musicians, are posed in a row on a elevated wooden circus wagon stage labeled "GYMNASTIC EXHIBITION". On the far left, John Duffy I stands prominently at the top of a wooden slatted ramp leading up to the stage.
The Beginnings of John Duffy's Circus. John Duffy I stands at the left on top of the ramp.
A sepia-toned archival photograph from 1943 showing an exterior view of the Duffy Circus grounds. The main attraction is a decorated wooden structure forming the grand entrance or ticket pavilion, which features large painted murals of mythological or classical figures on horseback. The canvas top of the main circus tent rises behind it under a pale sky. The year "1943" is handwritten in dark ink in the upper left corner.
Duffy Circus in 1943
A vintage photograph of John Duffy II standing outdoors in a grassy field. He is dressed formally in a dark three-piece suit, a crisp white shirt, and a black bowler hat, while holding a dark walking cane in his left hand. In the background, circus horses graze freely near living wagons and canvas tents, capturing the atmosphere of the traveling show.
John Duffy II
A black and white photograph of a printed promotional flyer for John Duffy & Sons Circus from 1956. The top features bold, block lettering announcing "JOHN DUFFY & SONS CIRCUS". Below, a stamped text reads "SWORDS TUE. AUG 21". The middle section contains oval portrait photographs of John Duffy and James Duffy alongside illustrations of horses' heads. The rest of the playbill lists various billing acts such as "The Sensational Osados Troupe Flying Daredevils" and "Louise Stephenson & Co. Famous Dogs & Ponies".
John Duffy Circus Flyer from 1956
A sepia-toned vintage portrait photograph of Rosie, the fortune teller from Duffy's Circus. She is elegantly dressed in a 1920s style silk or satin dress with an intricate geometric pattern panel down the front. She wears a lavish coat with a large, fluffy white fur collar and matching cuffs. Multiple strands of long pearl necklaces drape over her chest, pinned with a prominent circular jewel brooch, and she carries a small bouquet of flowers.
Rosie, The Fortune Teller, Duffy's Circus.
A black and white historical photograph depicting a large crowd of people gathered outside the Duffy Circus tent in Sligo in 1937. A diverse mix of adults and children dressed in early 20th-century attire fill the fairground space. In the background stands the large circus big top tent with an ornate entrance façade reading "JOHN DUFFY AND SONS SUPER CIRCUS", decorated with illustrations of performing animals and circus clowns.
Duffy Circus in Sligo in 1937

Additional Resources

Listen below to Vincent Crowley perform the McMahon Lament for John Duffy at the launch of Stories on the Street Dunmanway, 06 June 2026 in Atkins Hall.