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Popular Culture Review
controlled social atmosphere and take customers away from their computer
games.
Additionally, the era of affluence has resulted in many overseas trips for the
Irish. Trips abroad are for all kinds of recreational purposes which include
casino forays. The appeals of “let’s bring the gambling dollars home” may now
have a resonance they never had before.
Political Influence of the Catholic Church in Ireland
In Ireland “The” Catholic Church has been an influence dampening efforts
to legalize casinos. The power of the Church has been a major force in Irish
politics for many centuries. In 1935 Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Eamon de
Valera spoke to his nation’s relationships with the Church: “Since the coming of
St. Patrick, fifteen hundred years ago, Ireland has been a Christian and a
Catholic nation. All the ruthless attempts made through the centuries to force her
from this allegiance have not shaken her faith.”29
The influence of the Church over the people was found in part in the large
number of clerics vis-a-vis laity. This was a result of economic pressures that
propelled masses that had few other viable economic options save emigration to
seek out religious vocations. Common folk had many priests and nuns available
to observe their daily trifles and to warn them to stay on the proclaimed path
toward righteousness. With 1921 Independence, “political Catholicism in
Ireland emerged victorious, and Catholic values were very effectively enshrined
in the political system.” When Eamon de Valera’s Fianna Fail government came
to power in 1933, it was a movement “zealous in its efforts to ensure that
Catholic morality should be enforced by legislation.”30
Most often the Church did not have to make its positions clear in policy
debates. Church views were not openly challenged as political leaders accepted
censorship of books and films. The members of the Dail—of both major
parties—did the bidding of the Church unasked. Casino gambling legalization
was one forbidden territory.
Things began to change as Ireland dropped its economic isolation policies
and joined the European Union in 1973. Europe and the world came knocking at
the door: at it was a secular world. The influence of the Catholic Church in
Ireland cannot be as effective as a political force now in the 21st century as it has
been over the past century. The numbers of clergy have been reduced
considerably in recent decades. There are other economic options to the
priesthood. They no longer have as direct a presence in the daily activities of the
people. Attendance at weekly mass is still high relative to the rest of Europe, but
attendance numbers have fallen.31
The Church’s views on issues involving sex, marriage, and gender relations
are no longer controlling. The people have accepted divorce, homosexuality, and
contraception against the wishes of the Church. The exposure of clergy as
abusers in sex scandals involving children and also in scandals involving
orphanages has dealt a major blow against the unchallenged reputation the