Tom Duffy of Duffy's Circus has passed away aged 92, the circus has announced.
Announcing the news on Twitter, the popular circus told fans: "Tom Duffy – The Greatest Showman
"It is with great sadness and regret that the Duffy family announce the peaceful passing of Tom Duffy, Our Greatest Showman.
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"Born on April 5th, 1929, in Limavady, Northern Ireland, in his parent’s caravan, Tom was fifth born of eight siblings."
They added on Instagram: "Tom Duffy’s Circus carries the name with pride, a nod to the past and a beacon for the future. As we look now to the future without our namesake, we know that we shall strive to continue to make him proud, with advances in technology and innovation whilst maintaining a true respect for the traditional Art form of Circus.
"As is the wish of Tom all performances of his Circus this week will continue as scheduled."
Tom Duffy's Circus is one of the oldest circuses in the world, dating back to 18th century when shoemaker Patrick James Duffy from Dublin became fascinated by foreign circuses when they visited Ireland.
Patrick's love of circus was passed down through his family as his son John later started his own Circus, the John Duffy Circus. John went on to have three sons of his own - John, James and Tom.
Today, Duffy's Circus is supported and funded by The Arts Council.
Followers were quick to offer their sympathies, with one Twitter user writing: "Rest his soul. The amount of times tried with friends to get under the canvas when Duffy's visited the hometown because we couldn't afford tickets. Comfort to his family and many friends."
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