Banagher priest facing major new challenge

After vanquishing his opponent in the boxing ring last Saturday, Banagher priest Fr Pierre Pepper is already facing into his next major challenge.

The 47-year-old curate will have to overcome his extreme fear of flying in order to fulfill a promise to marry a former parishioner in Lanzarote this September.

The groom is one of four brothers from Fr Pepper’s first parish in Longford, “I married three of the brothers and there is one left,” he explained.

“Initially he told me he was having the wedding abroad and he was having it in France or Rome,” said Fr Pepper. In order to travel to either destination, Fr Pepper was prepared to get a ferry to mainland europe and travel by land.

However, the new destination of Lanzarote mightn’t be so simple. “What I plan to do is take two weeks off and travel to Spain,” said Fr Pepper. He has already contacted travel agents to enquire about the possibility of a boat from Spain.

If the journey requires a short flight from Spain to Lanzarote, Fr Pepper is strongly considering medication. “I’ll have to be doped up to my eyeballs,” he admitted, before described the thoughts of flying as far more terrifying than boxing.

Fr Pepper became an internet sensation when he responded to an online video call-out by his boxing opponent Jared Madden, ahead of the white collar bout in JJ Hough’s of Banagher. “It was just one of those things that kind of took off,” he recalled.

The videos were picked up by national and international media and Fr Pepper appeared on RTE’s Late Late Show, BBC Radio and he was visited by a reporter from Reuters.

Speaking of the bout in Banagher, Fr Pepper said, “it was a great night, fierce well organised.” While he won his match on points after three rounds, he said, “I think everyone was a winner on that day.”

A reporter from Reuters informed Fr Pepper the story had appeared “in India and China and all over the place.” Fr Pepper said he has even been contacted by the Polynesian Boxing Federation. “If anyone wants to box from Polynesia they will have to come out here because I won’t fly,” he remarked.

Due to the incredible success of the boxing, organisers are planning on holding another event, he revealed. Proceeds from the white collar boxing night are going to the St Vincent de Paul and other charitable organisations.