We all know Keith Barry as the mentalist and brain hacker who shocks audiences with his incredible skills.
But Keith almost abandoned his dream of becoming a hypnotist. In fact, he went to college to study something very different.
Speaking to Dublin Live at the Pendulum Summit in Dublin's RDS, Keith said: “I think I realised early on that that’s what I wanted to do but my parents said magic was great as a hobby, you should go to college. I went to college and I’m actually a cosmetic scientist. I used to invent make-up for women.
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“I realised that magic is what I wanted to do, I had a passion for it. I went to college but in the back of my mind, I knew I was going to end up doing what I’m doing now.
“I read ‘The Klutz Book of Magic’, I learned every single trick out of that book. Then it snowballed, I started learning hypnosis and brain hacking when I was 15."
Keith started performing when he was six years old with a magic set and says it’s best to read books rather than getting information online.
He said: “I’d still say to people today not to learn off the internet, I don’t think it’s the best way for learning. For me, it was all books.
“Even now, I’m a voracious reader, I read philosophy, psychology, hypnosis, sales, everything. That’s how I learn over digital assets.”
The performer says we can all find magic in our live every day, however too many people have their heads stuck in their phones.
He said: “Magic is everywhere. Even when I’m out I listen to the birds and actively participate in nature.
“People walk along with their headphones or they’re looking down at their phones, meanwhile I go out and I’m present in the moment. I look for magic everywhere.
“A lot of people have lost their sense of curiosity, their childlike play and childlike sense of wonder. As adults, we’re sceptical of how the world works.
“We think we can find everything out online, therefore, we lose our curiosity.”
After two and a half years of Covid restrictions, the Waterford man is finally back on the road with his tour starting in Galway tomorrow.
He said: “You’ve a healthy level of scepticism in Ireland, which I like and encourage. You’ve to win the audience over first, but in places like Vegas, they’re already bought in and willing to believe.
“I love the reality of being in Ireland. I spent a lot of time in Vegas, LA, New York and the UK. LA is la la land so it’s important for me to have a stable upbringing for my two kids and that’s best served by staying in Ireland.
“My job is to provide wonder and enchantment to people. You get to escape from your life, the world, that’s more for the participant than for me.
“Providing a sense of wonder is essential in my life but I just don’t do that through magic, I do it through other means as well.
“I do all kinds of crazy stuff - I’ve quirky things that I do. I take freezing cold showers, deep breath work in the morning, and swim in the sea all year round.”
Keith Barry is performing at the 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin on Saturday, 28 May 2022. Tickets are available here.
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