'It's joyful escapism that deserves to be protected and safeguarded'...

The bright lights, dazzling costumes and roar of applause have long made the circus one of Ireland's most enduring forms of family entertainment, but behind the spectacle, keeping one of the country's oldest travelling circuses on the road has become an increasingly difficult balancing act.

That is why the latest Arts Council bursary award scheme has come as a welcome boost for Duffy's Circus. The Arts Council has awarded 258 artists a combined €4.3 million through its latest bursary scheme, with Duffy's Circus receiving €15,050 and Ring Mistress Candice Duffy awarded an individual bursary of €15,015. In total, six Meath artists received €95,065.

For Candice, however, the funding represents much more than financial support. It comes during one of the most challenging periods in the circus' recent history.

Founded more than 250 years ago, Duffy's Circus traces its origins back to 1775 and remains one of Ireland's oldest and most recognisable travelling circuses.

The modern family business was built by the late Tom Duffy, who headquartered the circus in Navan and was born into circus life in 1929 before handing the reins to his son, David, following his retirement in 2020. After Tom's death in 2022, David continued leading the show until he suffered a stroke in the early hours of 3rd January this year.

As David continues his recovery, his daughter-in-law Candice has stepped into the role of Ring Mistress full-time, having shared ringmaster duties with him over the past four years.

Candice said: “It's really amazing the reaction the public has had to David being out.

“People are always asking where he is. We have some pre-recorded announcements in David's voice that play before the shows and people still ask for him. He's not taking a back seat in any way, but we're giving him some breathing space to recover. Performance is in his blood. His voice is really nostalgic for some people. I have big shoes to fill.”

David himself first entered the ring when he was just seven years old, performing alongside his father at Dublin's Olympia Theatre. Although he is not in the ring for the time being, he still travels with the circus whenever possible, carefully watching every performance and making sure every detail meets his famously high standards.

“Standing down has been difficult for him, but he knows his sons, Tom and Jamie, are more than capable.”

Like generations before them, every member of the family plays multiple roles. Tom, Candice’s husband, and Jamie are award-winning performers who also programme the circus sound systems, design productions and drive the trucks transporting the equipment across the country.

“Everyone does a bit of everything.”

The couple's daughter, who turns two in November, has become the seventh generation of the Duffy family to grow up around the circus.

“It has fallen on our shoulders to make sure the circus is still here for her. We don't ever want to reduce the quality of the show. David refuses to. He always says if it can't be as good as it is now, he doesn't want to do it at all.”

Despite the family's determination, 2026 has proven one of the toughest years since the Covid-19 pandemic. The first half of the season recorded the circus' lowest attendance figures since 2020.

Candice believes the reasons stretch far beyond the circus industry itself.

She explained: “The Arts Insight survey showed every sector across the arts has been affected by the cost-of-living crisis.”.

“People are finding it harder to buy tickets for events and harder to find the time around work. Access is another issue, whether that's public transport or parking.

“That reflects the challenges we face finding suitable sites. With such a large proportion of the population concentrated around Dublin, it can be difficult to bring arts outside the city, and that's exactly why circus is so valuable.”

Travelling for up to ten months of the year, Duffy's Circus brings live performance directly into towns and villages across Ireland.

“We bring access to arts and culture to your doorstep. A newborn baby can come, a great-grandmother can come, and four generations of the same family can sit together and enjoy the very same show.”

While rising fuel prices, operating costs and the shortage of suitable sites continue to put pressure on traditional circuses, Candice believes stronger Government and local authority support is essential if they are to survive.

“We still have incredible support from the public and we work hard to keep the circus affordable, even with the rising cost of living. The funding is fantastic, but it doesn't remove many of the stresses of putting on the shows.

“I do think there is much more that the Government and local authorities need to do if traditional circus is going to survive. The lack of suitable sites is one of our biggest challenges, especially in cities. We rely heavily on private land.”

This year, Duffy's Circus will also perform as part of the official programme of cultural events celebrating the Irish language, presenting a series of free performances.

“All of the shows will be free for the public, but we still have to contribute funding ourselves to make them happen alongside the Arts Council funding.”

Her personal Arts Council bursary marks another significant milestone. The Council only recently introduced a dedicated funding strand for traditional circus artists.

“It was a huge surprise. I've worked in circus for sixteen years and it's incredibly competitive.

“This personal funding gives me time and space to develop my own creative practice outside of the show itself. In traditional circus you're constantly creating new acts because that's what's needed, but it can leave very little room to explore your own artistic direction.

“It's really exciting to be part of this programme. It will allow me to continue developing as a Ring Mistress.”

Originally from Warrington, Candice discovered circus as a child after her family moved to North Wales. Coming from a single-parent household, she remembers how affordable circus became her first window into the wider world.

“My mother couldn't really afford concerts or theatre tickets. Dance was the only activity I could do outside school and my grandmother helped to pay for my uniform.

The circus was different. It introduced me to dance, different cultures and different countries long before I could ever afford to travel.”

Today, Duffy's Circus reflects that same international spirit, featuring performers from Argentina, Spain and Morocco alongside Irish artists.

“I was exposed to culture and the arts in a way I never would have been otherwise through circus.”

After building an international career, Candice arrived in Ireland shortly after Covid to help Duffy's Circus when staffing shortages hit the industry.

“I'd known the family for years through the industry. After the pandemic, England reopened earlier for live entertainment and many performers had gone home. There was a shortage of staff in Ireland, so I came over to help, and the rest is history.”

Now based in Bohermeen with her husband Tom, Candice says the family has found a real home base.

Tom, although born on the road, considers Bohermeen home after attending school there alongside his brother Jamie. The family return throughout the season whenever they can before spending the winter back in the county.

Over the years, Duffy's Circus has become about much more than performances under the big top. The company regularly hosts photography workshops, life-drawing classes, baby sensory mornings and invites local dance schools to perform before shows begin.

“We become embedded in every community we visit. We come back to the same towns year after year. We bring business into local areas and build wonderful friendships that last for years.”

The circus also prides itself on accessibility, with its state-of-the-art big top including 150 wheelchair accessible seats and regular sensory friendly relaxed performances.

For Candice, that community connection is exactly why traditional circus deserves to be protected.

“When you look back through circus history, it's survived through so much. It's welcoming to everybody.

“It's joyful escapism, and that's needed now more than ever in a world full of screens and devices. It's a way to reconnect with humanity. It's a beacon of hope, showing trust, hope and human connection.

“Circus is often a child's first experience of live performance. We employ around 40 full-time and part-time staff, and this family has dedicated generations to keeping it alive.

“The funding means so much because it's recognition that what we do matters. It really is a valuable part of Irish culture that deserves to be protected and safeguarded."