The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
‘We simply couldn’t be stranded in a better place’
COURTNEY’S CIRCUS VEGAS HAS BEEN COCOONING IN TRALEE SINCE SOCIAL DISTANCE MEASURES WERE INTRODUCED IN EARLY MARCH. STEPHEN FERNANE CHATS TO JACKIE COURTNEY ABOUT LIFE IN THE CIRCUS AND HOW BEING ‘STRANDED’ IN TRALEE HAS BEEN A NEW AND FANTASTIC EXPERIENC
WE’VE all heard of the circus coming to town, but the circus that can’t leave town is a less ordinary event. It’s precisely the situation the Courtney family and ‘Circus Vegas’ has found itself in since early March, when the show was called to a halt because of COVID-19. The circus has remained in Tralee ever since, with nowhere to go.
Fast forward to today and, while the circus would prefer to be on the road doing what it does best, there is a silver lining in every cloud, as being marooned in Tralee has its advantages.
“The human kindness from Tralee people is just unbelievable. We’ve had people dropping in cakes, cards and gifts, even Easter eggs. These are lovely gestures,” said Jackie Courtney.
“I know there is an awful lot of sad things happening at the moment but there’s a lot of lovely things happening too. We get out for walks every day and it’s such a beautiful place that it relaxes your mind. We couldn’t be stranded in a better place.”
The goodwill and random kindness has ‘amazed’ Jackie, while Tralee is set to last in the hearts of the Courtney family long after the Coronavirus has passed. In a show of gratitude, the family plan to donate the takings from its first show (after lockdown) to a local charity.
“We certainly will be doing this. How could we not do something like this after the way we’ve been treated?” Jackie added.
But life has also been difficult for the circus since its regular income stalled. Jackie says that, financially, a circus is no different to any other business in that it’s a ‘cash flow’ business.
“We go from week to week. We’ve never had to depend on the Irish Government, but they have been fantastic. I’m actually so proud to be Irish because of the way they, and the rest of us, have reacted to this virus,” she explains.
Based in Castlederg, County Tyrone, the Courtneys have been in showbiz ‘all their lives’, according to Jackie. Her great-grandmother was an actress in silent movies back in the day, while Jackie is proud of the family heritage and that her brother, Stephen, was ‘born into circus life’.
“What makes our shows different is the variety; it’s in our background. Every day is different in the circus. We’re going all day, every day, and we haven’t actually stopped since we’ve stopped. When you’re a circus person you can’t just have one talent, you have to have many,” she laughs.
Jackie explains that even though the circus has ground to a halt, the work is still going on behind the scenes. The show must go on, and every performer is practising and keeping fit as best they can while social-distancing.
“The jugglers are out the back juggling; the wire walker practises every day; the trapeze artists have a bar inside one of the containers where they practice; if they didn’t do this they would lose their muscles. My daughter is a contortionist in the air, and she jogs five kilometres a day and works out. They’re athletes in every sense of the word,” she says.
Lastly, Jackie defines the circus way of life as a ‘devotion’ as she meets people from all over Ireland. However, the past few weeks in Tralee has elevated this experience to another level.
“I love it and 99 percent of the time people are so good. Because we’re in Tralee for as long as we’ve been, you get to see a side to people you wouldn’t normally see. We’re used to meeting people and moving on again, yet stopping and having the conversations we’ve had with people in Tralee has been a new experience. People are genuinely asking ‘are you okay?’
“I have to say that’s been a wonderful feeling.
“People in Tralee should feel very proud of where they’re from.”
I have to say it’s been a wonderful feeling. The people of Tralee should feel very proud of where they’re from.