What is precious to you, for one reason or another? What object would you never want to lose? Our treasured possessions are often an expression, sometimes an extension, of our very selves. AsIAm, Ireland’s National Autism Charity, has been working on a series of stories of famous people and their special possessions. From Colin Farrell and Sebastian Barry, to Rachael Blackmore and Mairead McGuinness, plus many more, everyone AsIAm invited to participate entered into the project with gusto, and THE GLOSS is proud to partner with AsIAm and bring you a story a month …
Magician Cillian O’Connor is a Guinness World Record Holder, Britain’s Got Talent finalist, is a passionate advocate for Autism awareness as a keynote speaker, and regularly speaks at and takes part in charity events.
Cillian is taking the world by storm with his mesmerising performances and a passion for creating magic. He made headlines with his astounding appearance on Britain’s Got Talent, which garnered 500 million views online. Cillian has recently reached new heights by breaking the Guinness World Record title for the most magic tricks performed in one minute, and he will appear in the 2025 edition of the collectors book, Guinness World Records.
The Marvin Berglas Rising Star Award
“The one treasured possession to me is The Marvin Berglas Rising Star Award. I was honoured to be chosen as the Rising Star for 2023 by Marvin Berglas (president of the Magic Circle). This award means so much to me, not just because I was chosen as a rising star, but the fact that other recipients of this award have had a such big part to play in making me who I am today. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought my name would be on a trophy beside some of my heroes. This award tells my story, on how magic has opened up my world.
Let me start at the beginning. Before I found magic, I was unable to interact with people. I struggled socially and I always played alongside people as opposed to with them. I knew deep down what to say, but didn’t know how to say it. Then, in 2017, my life changed after I saw a young magician, Issy Simpson, (2017 recipient of the Rising Star Award) performing on Britain’s Got Talent and it was like a light switch going off inside of my head – that was it, I knew I could let magic do the talking for me.
Being Autistic I don’t do things by instinct, rather by learning. I thought to myself that if I could learn how to perform magic tricks, I could use it as a way to interact with people. Marvin Berglas of Marvin’s Magic has also had a big impact on my life. He gave me the opportunity to perform regularly in the famous toy shop, FAO Schwartz, which is located in Arnott’s Dublin. This was a fantastic experience; as my magic skills grew, so did my confidence. Finally, like I was in a dream, the award was presented to me by my mentor Russ Stevens (the man behind the magic on Britains Got Talent), in Hollywood, LA, on the set of America’s Got Talent Fantasy League. It is a moment I will remember for the rest of my life. Dreams really do come true.”
AsIAm, founded by Adam Harris in 2014, has a vision for Ireland as a place where every Autistic person is accepted “as they are” – equal, valued and respected. AsIAm provides community support through advice, advocacy, support and special interest groups for children and adults with autism. AsIAm provides training programmes in autism awareness and inclusion, and supports businesses to successfully recruit and employ autistic candidates. The charity operates an information line (0818 234 234) and provides support via instant messaging and email (support@asIam.ie).
To find out more: www.asiam.ie
To donate: www.asiam.ie/support-our-work/donate/