Does the "cult-like killing" of a dog in Co Wicklow mean that Ireland is overrun by Satanists, asks Róisín Ingle
The discovery in a Co Wicklow forest this week of the remains of a sheepdog slain in an apparent act of devil worship is unlikely to give rise to heightened public concern of the kind described worldwide in the 1980s as "Satanic panic".
The gruesome find in Knocksink Wood, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, where walkers found a sheepdog that had been stabbed and beaten to death on a specially constructed altar surrounded by stone circles, is being treated by local gardaí as a "cult-like killing". And while the story was made even more sinister by speculation that it had been planned for up to a year, pet owners will be relieved to hear that such incidents are relatively rare in this country.
Mike Garde director of Dialogue Ireland, an independent trust promoting understanding of new religions and cultism, says there is no reason to believe the sheepdog attack signifies a rise in Satanic or devil worship activity here. "In countries such as Norway, Poland and the US you will find Satanic rituals occurring more regularly but I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of such incidents I have come across in 30 years observing religious and cult groups in Ireland," he says. He points to the ritualistic-style killing of a donkey in Howth a few years ago and the "spasmodic" desecration of graveyards which he says is usually associated with "youths with drink on them who are intent on pushing out the boundaries".
"Having said that I think the planning that went into the killing in Enniskerry does sound like it was the work of a person or group with a deeper philosophy than just a couple of young fellas on cider," he adds.
Garde suggests that in following up the killing of the sheepdog the Gardaí might consult those with specialist knowledge of Satanic rituals - the FBI for example has a unit that deals with incidents such as the one in Co Wicklow. In the past the FBI's Behavioural Science Unit in Virginia has researched a range of ritualistic crime including child sexual abuse and animal sacrifice.
The Garda press office says there is nobody in the force with expertise in Satanic or ritualistic criminal matters and stresses that the incident is being investigated in the same manner as any other animal cruelty crime. In the meantime animal welfare groups, fearful that more animals may be harmed in bizarre circumstances, have appealed for the public to be vigilant.
While there are many sites on the internet describing Satanism and the rituals involved, most of these appear to denounce animal sacrifices. "As far as killing animals in the name of Satan goes, the Church of Satan does not require it, indeed we frown upon it as an act of stupidity," says one Satanist discussing the issue on the web. It's also frowned upon in The Satanic Bible, a book by the Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey first published in 1969.
In a chapter on human sacrifice, LaVey points out that animal sacrifice is "an insult, pathetic, in comparison to other types of ritual. As such Satanists do not sacrifice animals."
In Satanic Ethics by Vexen Crabtree, the author suggests that animal sacrifice is a ministerpretation of Satanism. "People are messed up and some of these messed-up people find their way into Satanism," he writes in a passage which is highly critical of anyone who would kill an animal for any reason other than "self defence or for food".
Forensic reports suggest the Co Wicklow sheepdog was killed on either August 13th or 14th. However, one Satanic calendar on the web points to August 1st, Lammas Day, as being a time of "animal or human sacrifice" which could tie in to the Enniskerry killing.
Incidentally, the next date in the Satanic calendar is September 20th, the autumnal Equinox. According to followers this comprises "midnight host . . . blood ritual. Dismemberment of corpses . . . cannibalism usually occurs".