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Posted on Thursday, October 27, 2011 1:56 AM
Halloween is my favorite time of the year. The leaves are turning, painting the hills in a beautiful patchwork. The weather (apart from the last few days!) is crisp and cold. And you can almost feel the magic in the air. Even as a child I was fascinated by the legends - the ghosts, the vampires, the witches and warlocks. I even became one myself. That magic makes Halloween so special. We live in a practical age, where children have access to more information by the age of ten than we managed to accumulate in three times that duration. |
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Posted on Thursday, September 29, 2011 1:31 PM
I got hooked on variety acts as a child. I loved magicians, circuses, puppet theaters. Those were the things that lifted me out of the ordinary world and threw me into a world of the imagination, where anything was possible. Books were great (still are) and movies were all right. But nothing topped a live act. As we get older we get fossilized, and we stop believing that the world is full of wonderful opportunities. But children still have that sense of infinite possibilities. That is why it is such a joy to entertain them. |
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Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 1:46 AM
I had an interesting show over the weekend. The birthday boy loves vampires, so I was asked could I do the magic as a vampire. Of course I could. I wore a tux, and a long flowing black cloak, and adjusted my patter. I brought a werewolf instead of a taking dog, and painted the faces as vampires, wolfmen, ghouls, skulls, etc. On Wednesday I am doing a mad scientist at a party. In the past I have been asked for pirates. It is all possible. If your child has an interest, why not ask whoever provides the entertainment if they can accommodate that interest. |
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Posted on Thursday, June 09, 2011 11:32 AM
Here's a neat summer idea - have a pancake party. My friend Laurent is the best crepe man in Cork. A native of Britanny, you might have seen him flipping the pancakes at Mahon Point or the Douglas Shopping Centre at the farmer's markets. Now he is brancing into the private market, and is available to give a Gallic flavour to your party. It is great fun for the kids, because they get to see their pancake being made, from batter to completion, and they get to choose from a wide range of fillings, both sweet and savory. |
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Tony Baloney: Posted on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 2:47 PM
May is communion season, and the bad news is that you might already have left it too late to book some communion entertainment. But maybe not - it is worth a phone around to see who has some availability. At this age children are moving beyond the clowns and puppets, but still love a good magic show. They also enjoy bouncy castles. Some of the bouncy castles have a slide as well, which makes them perfect for those warm summer days we hope Cork is going to experience! A good idea might be to hold a private family celebration on the Saturday of the communion, and a proper party the following day. |
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Tony Baloney: Posted on Tuesday, October 19, 2010 1:58 AM
Lots of people seem to have the blinkers on when it comes to children's entertainment. First they look for a clown. Then they consider a magician or a puppet show. Then they sit back and scratch their heads, out of inspiration. So here are some alternatives. Arts and Crafts There are several art teachers and others who will call to the house and help your children with painting, weaving, felt work, pottery, and so on. Children love working on crafts, and they have a unique momento of the party to bring home at the end. |
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Tony Baloney: Posted on Friday, October 08, 2010 11:05 PM
Planning the Perfect Birthday Party Planning a party can be stressful, but if you follow my simple guidelines, you can make it all so much easier. Firstly, let me introduce myself. The kids call me Tony Baloney, and I am one of the busiest magicians in Cork - in fact, all over Munster. I have been doing this for twenty years (initially in Limerick, then the last three years in Cork) and I have picked up a lot of party ideas over the years. Here are my top five tips. 1) PARTY FOOD Kids love party food, but if you switch some of the sweets for plates of sliced apples or raisins, and perhaps a few plates of nuts, you will give kids the treats they like without all the E numbers. |
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