It’s not so long ago that priests and the church in Ireland inspired the utmost respect…some would even say fear.
Many people in their fifties and sixties…and some much younger…will recall how even a simple question from a priest could send a pang of terror through their stomachs and leave them tongue-tied with embarrassment.
Some may even admit to “jumping over the ditch” to hide if they saw a priest coming along the road ahead of them.
Now a video of students celebrating the end of school exams shows just how much things have changed. The four lads went into a church in a quiet moment when no one was around. They dressed up in the priest’s robes, picked up a crucifix and started re-enacting a sabre battle from Star Wars.
The video is entitled Star Wars Blasphemy and is set to the music, Duel of the Fates from Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace.
For many it will appear disgraceful and sacrilegious, to others it may just be harmless high jinks from a group of lads celebrating the end of their schooldays.
Either way, it’s a timely reminder of how this is no longer the Ireland of our grandparents. There’s a new generation with a totally different outlook.
You can judge for yourself by watching the video.
