Offaly Priest ‘Father Jalapeno Pepper’ In Boxing Fundraiser

By Justin Kelly

An Offaly priest is preparing for a boxing debut in a charity fundraiser after firing himself into the public eye with a number of YouTube ‘call-out’ videos to his opponent. Fr Pierre ‘Jalapeno’ Pepper from St. Rynagh’s church in Banagher will step into the ring on March 14 to battle it out with local man Jared ‘The Artful Dodger’ Madden at JJ Hough’s Singing Pub in Banagher.

The pair shot to fame over the weekend when an appearance on RTE’s Late Late Show with Ryan Tubridy on Friday night brought attention to their comical online clips. Speaking to Ryan Tubridy as an invited audience member, the fiery priest called the fight a “win/win” situation, raising money for the charity if it’s a resounding success, and raising money for himself if his opponent dies, leaving him to say his funeral mass.

The tongue-in-cheek priest has done no harm to the fundraising efforts, becoming something of a celebrity on social media on Friday night. The event, dubbed the ‘St. Patrick’s weekend punch-up’ is raising money for St Vincent de Paul and Motor Neuron charities.

Offaly’s toughest priest vows to make his opponent “say his prayers” on the night, and hopes to ease to victory with God in his corner. “I know you're really familiar with the Bible so I'm going to give you a quote tonight: 'The Lord says vengeance is mine,” Fr Pepper says to Madden in his pumped-up promo video. Fr Pepper also jeered at his opponent’s name, calling on Jared to get a real one, but The Artful Dodger was quick to return the favour in his reply video.

“Who are you to slag my name with a name like Pepper,” he poses. “Pierre Pepper – it sounds like an ingredient to a French soup,” he quips. Madden claims to have “the sisters of no mercy” on his side as he continues training for the “white collar” bout next month. Fr Pepper downed his opponent on Friday’s Late Late Show, referring to him as “all talk.”

Fr Pepper also has the size and height advantage over his opponent as demonstrated when the pair sized each other up on Friday night. Continuing to hold the confidence of a champion, Fr Pepper has adapted Muhammad Ali’s famous slogan for his own fighting debut: “Fly like a butterfly, sting like a priest” will be his mantra come fight night.

Both men continue their training, building up to the biggest fight of the year in Banagher; Pepper vs. Madden. 

The date is March 14 and as Fr Pepper says in his clip: “Judgment day is close at hand.”

For more information about the upcoming fight, you can find the event on Facebook at www.facebook.com/banagherwhitecollarboxing. 


Jared Madden replies to Fr Pepper's call-out...