John McCarthy’s “Circus Bar”

The background story of John McCarthy’s “Circus Bar” begins in the late 1800s with his father William McCarthy, a publican by trade whose premises was located at the end of the village in Cappamore, Co. Limerick. At the rear of the premises was a field which William provided free of charge to the visiting circuses. It became known as “McCarthy’s Circus Field”. This was the beginning of a deep-rooted fascination and love of the circus by John McCarthy who was born in 1884 and was to last right up until his death on 5^th February 1966.

By a strange, yet bitter-sweet and magical coincidence, circus enthusiast John McCarthy died on the 5^th February 1966 the very day his grandson Tony McCarthy was born! Tony inherited John’s large collection of circus memorabilia and in 2018, in collaboration with the Limerick Museum and Limericks St. Patricks Day Festival, Tony began exhibiting these materials. Thus, ensuring the cyclical nature of this archive and tradition. Just as one generation’s immense work was done, the next began. “The show must go on”.