EILEEN CASEY pays a visit to Circus Corvinni, one of the oldest in the country.
From beginning to end, the Circus Corvinni experience is breath-taking. This Roscommon-based entertainment act is pure pleasure and very much a family affair.
The circus company is made up of Dad (Brodick), Mam (Gladys), Christopher (age 24), Nathan (age 11). Madison, at seven years old is the youngest of the family, a fairylike girl who can dance while airborne, holding onto an aerial ring which somehow seems to become part of her own small frame.
Her brother Cameron, aged eight is a contortionist, drawing gasps of admiration from the crowd as he places his feet behind his head and assumes positions which seem to defy flesh and bone. It’s as if he’s made of rubber. Another brother Brendan who performed up until recently with his family, is now busy with other ventures.
When I visited the Corvinni Big Top recently at Banagher in the Midlands, the thrills of childhood circuses revived in me again. The smell of tarpaulin and grass mingled with freshly made popcorn. Excitement hung in the air emanating from adults and children alike. High decibel soundtracks from well known films (‘Rocky,’ for example) ensured that excitement was almost at fever pitch.
