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Blades of Glory

This sword swallower dropped by to give us a sneak preview of the City Spectacular

Dublin magician Jack Wise will be showing off his skills at the events in Dublin and Cork.

TheJournal.ie / YouTube

IT’S A NICHE pursuit, sword swallowing. There aren’t many of them in Ireland. In fact, there are only a few dozen full-time professional sword swallowers in the entire world. The skill can take up to ten years to learn, according to the profession’s official trade group, the Sword Swallowers Association International. 

Dublin magician Jack Wise dropped by TheJournal.ie‘s offices to talk about how he learned his trade, and to show off his skills to a rapt audience of staff members. And yes, we got to check the blade – it’s very, very real.

Jack is one of the star attractions at the Laya Healthcare City Spectacular, which takes place in Dublin’s Merrion Square between today and Sunday, and hits Cork’s Fitzgerald Park next weekend. The family-friendly event will be showcasing a range of record-breaking street performers, amongst other attractions.

Read: These four cheetah cubs are the new arrivals at this Cork wildlife park >

Read: Locals bearing the brunt as ‘plague of flies’ take up residence in Ringsend >

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