1985 and the Moving Statues Phenomena

Yep it was 30 years ago that a craze swept across Catholic Ireland as it seemed that representations of the Virgin Many at grottoes started to move, people started to gather in small numbers before the news broke wider and suddenly statues across the country were jiving at crossroads and thousands would gather at the bigger events on a regular basis.

RTE News



Needless to say the rest of world decided that this was worth a look-see, this is from BBC 2 Newsnight.



Of course the summer of 85 was one of the most inclement in recorded history, it was appalling. A summer without sun and one would have to suspect that many played the craze up to get some money in the till around the country.

As someone old enough to remember all this I laughed when scratching my head then and I'm still gobsmaked that it took off like it did with people who sounded perfectly sane explaining how they'd seen things that only the deluded could truly believe. While its clear the rational can be elbowed aside quickly enough I doubt we'd fall for this now.