Scaring up a success story

Karl O’Connor with characters from The Nightmare Realm, which will run throughout October at the RDS in Dublin Pic: Miki Barlok

Kerry-born set builder Karl O’Connor decided to put his design skills to commercial use with the launch of his scare-house attraction The Nightmare Realm in Cork seven years ago.

The Knocknagoshel native had tested the idea for an interactive Halloween-inspired event, combining spooky sets with costumed actors in Tralee over two years, and launched in Cork’s Navigation House in October 2011. The Nightmare Realm will run this year throughout the month of October ...