More Irish Priests Being Trained to Perform Exorcisms
A Rising Demand for Spiritual Intervention in Modern Ireland
Occult World Archives (Originally reported by Nick Bramhill, The Herald, October 19, 2013)
Welcome, dear readers of Occult World, to a story that blurs the line between the ancient and the modern — where ritual prayers, holy water, and centuries-old invocations are finding renewed purpose in twenty-first-century Ireland.
In recent years, Catholic priests across Ireland have been receiving formal training to perform exorcisms, a ritual once whispered about only in church corridors and folklore. According to official Church sources, the number of clergy instructed in the rite has increased notably, echoing a growing public demand from those who believe they are afflicted by demonic possession or spiritual oppression.
The Secret Ministry of Exorcism
Fr Fiontán Ó Monacháin, secretary to the Archbishop of Tuam, offered a rare insight into this secretive ministry in a documentary titled Cogar: Dibirt Deamhain (“Expulsion of Demons”), broadcast on Ireland’s TG4 network.
“When someone approaches their parish priest claiming to be afflicted,” explained Fr Ó Monacháin, “the priest first determines whether it is a psychological or spiritual problem. If it appears spiritual, he will pray, bless the home with holy water, or celebrate a Mass. Only if these steps fail is a formal exorcism considered.”
He went on to reveal that three practising priests in Ireland are officially trained and authorised to perform the rite — one a Jesuit in Galway, another from the Killaloe Diocese, and a Franciscan from Carlow.
These priests are designated “specialists” in their field, and only with the explicit permission of a bishop can they carry out a solemn exorcism.
A Ritual Revived
Interest in exorcism, once thought to belong to medieval superstition, has been resurging quietly within Ireland. “Perhaps it has become more popular again,” said Fr Ó Monacháin. “There has been more demand for it in the last ten years.”
This revival coincides with an increasing number of laypeople seeking help from non-clerical spiritual healers, charismatics, and even modern shamans. Many of them perform exorcistic rites outside of the Church’s authority, blending elements of prayer, energy work, and indigenous ritual.
The documentary features chilling testimonies from members of the New Charismatic Movement, as well as a former Irish soldier turned shaman, both describing encounters with those they believe were possessed by malevolent entities.
The Tragedy at Maynooth
Among the stories explored in Dibirt Deamhain is one that haunts Ireland’s ecclesiastical history — that of two seminarians from St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, who, nineteen years apart, threw themselves from the same window, convinced they were possessed by demons.
Whether these cases were born of psychological torment or genuine spiritual warfare, they remain symbols of the dark intersection between faith, fear, and the unseen world.
The Irish Tradition of Banishing Spirits
Ireland’s fascination with exorcism is older than Catholicism itself. Long before the Church formalised the ritual, Celtic shamans and Christian saints performed acts of spiritual cleansing, banishing malevolent beings from bodies, homes, and sacred places.
Legends tell of St. Patrick driving out serpents — a metaphor many scholars believe symbolises the expulsion of pagan spirits or demons. Later, Irish monks adapted ancient charms into Christian prayers of protection — the forerunners of today’s Rite of Exorcism.
In the rural west of Ireland, stories still persist of priests confronting unseen forces in cottages and fields, invoking holy water and Latin blessings over afflicted souls.
The Modern Church’s Stance
While the Catholic Church maintains that most cases of “possession” are in fact psychological, it continues to recognise true demonic activity as a rare but genuine phenomenon.
Exorcists undergo extensive training in theology, psychology, and discernment — and work closely with medical professionals before any rite is approved.
Still, as faith wanes and spiritual unrest grows, the Church quietly acknowledges that more priests than ever are needed to meet the cries for help echoing from Ireland’s modern parishes.
Reflections from Occult World
At OccultWorld.com, we document the evolution of exorcism — from its ancient pagan roots to its ritual codification in the Christian world.
The renewed demand for trained exorcists in Ireland suggests that beneath our technological age still beats a timeless human fear: the sense that unseen forces move among us.
Whether one believes in demons, psychological phenomena, or the power of ritual itself, exorcism remains one of the most profound intersections between faith and fear — a ceremony that speaks directly to humanity’s struggle with darkness.
Explore More on Occult World
- Exorcism – The Ritual of Banishing Demons
- Catholic Demonology and the Law of Invitation
- Modern Shamans and Spiritual Healers in Europe
- Possession Phenomena in the Modern Age
- Irish Saints and the Expulsion of Evil Spirits
Sources
- The Herald (Ireland) – Nick Bramhill, “More Irish Priests Being Trained to Perform Exorcisms,” October 19, 2013.
- TG4 Documentary – Cogar: Dibirt Deamhain (“Expulsion of Demons”), 2013.
- Occult World Demonology Archives – “Exorcists and the Catholic Rite of Expulsion.”
- The Vatican’s Guidelines on the Rite of Exorcism, Congregation for Divine Worship, Revised Edition, 1999.
