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17th May 2022

Fake nun known for dancing on Dublin streets banned from entering monastery

Katy Brennan

“She was showing up at services in Clonard dressed in a brown habit, even though she is not a nun.”

A fake nun has been banned from entering a monastery for four years after she “intimidated” its elderly congregation.

The woman, Rachel Mulcahy, is well-known for singing and dancing erratically on the streets of Dublin to religious music, usually outside the GPO. She has also been seen on the streets of Belfast.

Several videos of her bizarre street performances have been shared online by curious onlookers. In one, she can be seen throwing her hands in the air before dropping to her knees and shouting: “Christ come to me!”

Last month, she was served an injunction to stay at least 150 yards away from Clonard Monastery in West Belfast after priests complained that she had started showing up on the premises.

A source told The Belfast Telegraph that the monastery had no choice but to take action because there was “no sign” she was backing off any time soon.

“She was showing up at services in Clonard dressed in a brown habit, even though she is not a nun,” they said.

“Her behaviour was exactly the same, throwing her arms in the air, making all sorts of wild claims about God, and then writhing about on the altar.

“At first the staff at Clonard ignored her, but when it showed no sign of ending they had to do something.

“The congregation would be quite elderly and they felt intimidated by Ms Mulcahy’s behaviour. They just want to be left alone to pray in peace.”

In a letter to the publication, Mulcahy said: ”I’m in love. Head over heels. I can’t stop it. I love Jesus Christ so much that all I can think about is him. There is no one else I can think about only him. I adore him. I never ever want to be away from him.”