DONEGAL man Dylan Murray (24) has made history by becoming the first person in Ireland to graduate with a masters degree and an official Doctor of Magic PHD from The Magic Academy in New York.
Dylan, who is from Keadue in Burtonport has had an interest in magic since he was a child. Now a professional magician and mentalist, he cites Paul Daniels as one of his his inspirations.
“I used to get his magic sets for Christmas when I was a kid and I used to experiment with them like every other child did when they were young. I expected nothing from it only a hobby.
“When I was 13 I began watching Dynamo in the UK, I really connected with him based on his story, his upbringing and his background as it was quite similar to my own. He encountered bullying and I was going through those circumstances around that time.
“I continued to keep up the magic and thankfully I’ve never looked back since,” he said.
In 2016, Dylan was crowned the champ of Derry’s Got Talent.
But that was only the beginning of his performing and since he has gone from strength to strength.
In 2017, Dylan won the Dublin Variety Show only to go on and win the Magician of the Year Award twice in Dublin.
From there, it has led to his biggest moment yet which was becoming the only magician in Irish history to be awarded the prestigious Merlin Award for the second time being declared as ‘The Best Close Up Magician in Ireland’.
The Merlin Award is presented to magicians who have achieved the highest level in their craft, both on the national and international stage.
Past winners of The Merlin Award include Paul Daniels, David Copperfield, David Blaine, Penn and Teller and many more.
To join the exclusive list is very special.
The criteria that the voting members consider are talent, showmanship, originality, skills and above all the rare ability to entertain under any conditions.
The Merlin Award is to magic what the Oscar is to the movies, what the Emmy is to television and what the Tony is to theatre.
He was awarded his first Merlin Award for ‘Outstanding Storytelling and Magic’ in 2021 during lockdown.