The Great Karlino crosses the River Liffey in Dublin on a tightrope.
As part of a Christmas charity fundraiser organised by RTÉ Radio 2 and A&M Records, the internationally known acrobat Great Karlino from Fossett’s Circus walks along a tightrope stretched across the River Liffey in Dublin.
The event is to raise funds for the Radio 2 Lions Club Christmas Food Appeal but also to promote ‘Famous Last Words’ the seventh album by English rock band Supertramp, which features a tightrope walker on the cover. A&M donated one item of food for each foot of river crossed, 150 in total.
The Great Karlino begins his first ever tightrope walk across a river at Eden Quay.
I was a bit doubtful on the fact of getting across at one particular point because of the wind and also I was wondering whether I’d got sufficient tension on.
When he reaches the centre of the cable it starts to rock from side to side, but he manages to maintain control and even to a have lie down before continuing his journey. To the delight of spectators gathered along the quays and on O'Connell Bridge he successfully completes his walk with a triumphant descent at Burgh Quay.
The Great Karlino comes from a line of tightrope walkers on his father’s side and the skills have been passed down through the generations. His most dangerous tightrope walk to date took place in Blackpool in England, when he walked between two 150 foot high towers.
It took a tremendous amount of nerve, to do that kind of thing.
If somebody could engineer a cable he would next like to cross the Niagara Falls.
The track accompanying this clip is ‘Crazy’ by Supertramp.
This episode of ‘Anything Goes’ was broadcast on 18 December 1982.
