HOW TO HIRE · EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a magician in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A magician in Ireland costs €250–€800 per booking, typically around €450. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a magician in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers magician work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — themed Magic Events — themed magic events can be customised to suit specific occasions like birthdays, weddings, or corporate events.
- How does their experience change the price?A tradesperson with a waiting list has no reason to quote low. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does type of performance (close-up change the price?Quality costs more at the start and less over time. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does children's shows) change the price?Each one still has to be done properly, however many there are. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Stage Performances — stage performances are designed for larger audiences and often include elaborate tricks, illusions, and sometimes even theatrical elements — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a magician job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
NO REGISTER APPLIES TO DJS, BANDS, MARQUEE HIRERS OR ENTERTAINERS. What exists instead is insurance that venues demand and music licensing that the VENUE normally holds through IMRO and PPI, not the performer.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Public liability insurance at the level YOUR VENUE requires — ask the venue first, then the supplier, because the venue sets the number; For anything with a structure or a ride, the inspection or test certificate; A written contract with the date, the hours, the set-up time and the overtime rate; What happens if they are ill — a named arrangement, not reassurance; Whether they have played your venue before, and what the power and access are like; PAT testing on their equipment, which many venues ask to see.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect public liability, and employer's liability if they bring crew. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers magician work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — themed Magic Events — themed magic events can be customised to suit specific occasions like birthdays, weddings, or corporate events.
A good answer: A tradesperson with a waiting list has no reason to quote low. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Quality costs more at the start and less over time. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Each one still has to be done properly, however many there are. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Stage Performances — stage performances are designed for larger audiences and often include elaborate tricks, illusions, and sometimes even theatrical elements — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a magician job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect public liability, and employer's liability if they bring crew — close-Up Magic — close-up magic involves performing tricks and illusions in an intimate setting, often right in front of the audience.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the magician starts, and an itemised invoice after — corporate Magician — focuses on entertaining at corporate events, often incorporating branding and business themes into their performances.
Getting the quote right
- Their experience — a tradesperson with a waiting list has no reason to quote low.
- Type of performance (close-up — quality costs more at the start and less over time.
- Children's shows) — each one still has to be done properly, however many there are.
- Event's location — being far from the main towns narrows the choice and lifts the price.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: their experience — a tradesperson with a waiting list has no reason to quote low
- They will not talk about it: type of performance (close-up — quality costs more at the start and less over time
- They will not talk about it: children's shows) — each one still has to be done properly, however many there are
- A price for the magician before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the magician has begun
What a magician costs: €250–€800 per booking
The figures are for the job, per booking, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Close-up magician and Stage magician each carry their own band. Magician price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Magicians near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstTheir experience — a tradesperson with a waiting list has no reason to quote low — that is what the magician is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneType of performance (close-up — quality costs more at the start and less over time — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfChildren's shows) — each one still has to be done properly, however many there are — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherEvent's location — being far from the main towns narrows the choice and lifts the price — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the magician is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, complexity of the magic acts — custom work means measuring and checking at every step.
- Close-Up Magic
- Close-up magic involves performing tricks and illusions in an intimate setting, often right in front of the audience.
- Stage Performances
- Stage performances are designed for larger audiences and often include elaborate tricks, illusions, and sometimes even theatrical elements.
- Themed Magic Events
- Themed magic events can be customised to suit specific occasions like birthdays, weddings, or corporate events.
- Close-Up Magician
- Performs magic tricks at close range, often involving cards, coins, and everyday objects directly in front of the audience.
- Stage Magician
- Delivers larger performances on stage, using elaborate props and illusions to entertain a bigger audience.
- Mentalist
- Uses psychological techniques and suggestion to create the illusion of mind reading and prediction, often focusing on audience interaction.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a magician: questions people ask
The cost of hiring a magician can vary based on their experience, the type of performance (close-up, stage, children's shows), and the event's location. Additional factors include the duration of the performance and any special requirements or customisations requested.
Magic performances can vary in length, but most shows last between 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the type of event and audience size. Close-up performances may be shorter, while stage shows often run longer with multiple acts.
Some magicians may offer emergency or same-day bookings, but availability can be limited. It's advisable to contact local magicians as early as possible to secure a performer for your event, especially during busy seasons.
Many entertainers, including magicians, can work alongside other performers, such as clowns, jugglers, or musicians. Booking several related services together can often lead to package deals and a more cohesive entertainment experience.
NO REGISTER APPLIES TO DJS, BANDS, MARQUEE HIRERS OR ENTERTAINERS. What exists instead is insurance that venues demand and music licensing that the VENUE normally holds through IMRO and PPI, not the performer.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and put right if it is not. Say what is wrong in writing first.
MORE GUIDES