In a Facebook message to the Pagan Federation Ireland, an American named Sarah writes that she and her fiance, who are planning to marry and honeymoon in Ireland, are Odinists (an ‘indigenous form of heathen religion practised by the Angles, Saxons and Jutes’) seeking “similarly- minded” clergy to conduct the service.

She goes on to state that the couple would prefer “someone who only performs heterosexual ceremonies and refrains from marrying those of mixed races.”

The Pagan Federation Ireland‘s response was short, sweet and fantastic: ‘Hello Sarah, we are most happy to report that none of our clergy subscribe to your views on mixed race or gay marriage, and so we cannot assist you in your upcoming visit to Ireland,’ reads the response, before adding, ‘Fuck off. Yours very sincerely, everyone at Pagan Federation Ireland.’

This response garned a further response from a S. Fenner, with an email address linked to an Odinist site called Odina.org (a sample post on which reads ‘Is telling the truth racism, hatred or blasphemy?’).

Including a screenshot of the ‘fuck off’ response, Fennerr writes: ‘Could you please advise us as to if this is indeed the attitude of your organisation towards what are known as traditional folkish Heathens?’

A post on the Conaidhm Paganach (PFI) Facebook page left little doubt about the sincerity of the original response. ‘Pagan Federation Ireland operates a zero tolerance approach to racism and homophobia, both of which were abundantly clea rin the initial communication,’ reads the post.

‘Your values, as stated here on your website – https://odinia.org/what-are-values/– are incompatible with ours. If your religious beliefs or practices incorporate either racism or homophobia, then you will not find a home here.

‘As you seem to wish to make some sort of political issue of this,’ the reply continues, ‘might we suggest the following: for a proven donation of €10 to any Irish Pagan organisation…we will send you a signed copy of the statement on headed notepaper. Laminated if you wish.We will also send you permission to distribute the letter, in its complete form only, as widely as you wish.

‘The €10 will cover two copies of the letter, one of which we will have framed and put on the office wall, lest we ever forget.’

At the time of writing, the post has been shared 2,706 times. Is it too late to fill out Pagan on the census?