By Lauren Harte
reporter

A controversial Donegal artist has got Catholic Church chiefs hot under the collar with his latest work depicting the Pope marrying two gay men.
“You May Now Kiss The Groom” by Kevin Sharkey has already caused a furore despite the fact it only went on public display in Dublin on Monday.
Sharkey, who grew up in Killybegs, told the Donegal Post, he was spurred on to complete the photo montage after comments made by Pope Benedict in which he described same-sex marriage as one of the most “insidious and dangerous” threats facing the world.
“When I heard what the Pope had said I thought ‘Wait a minute, let’s get things in perspective’. The Pope’s opinion on these things has to be taken with a pinch of salt. He doesn’t have the moral authority he once had nor does the Catholic Church have any right in condemning loving couples to purgatory.
“It’s an appalling thing for a man of his power and prestige to single out gay people as being one of the biggest threats to society. It’s very dangerous as there are gobshites out there, who on hearing that, decide that that means what the Pope is really saying is that gay people are bad, intrinsically wrong and pose a threat to civilised society. That is just downright evil.”
The 47-year-old says that 99% of the comments he has received about the work have been positive.
“Many lovely people have been dropping emails saying they’d love to shake my hand or buy me a pint. All I did was create a piece of artwork saying ‘Well imagine this’.”
Sharkey is famed for his edgy and unusual artistic talents. In February this year he hit the headlines with a shocking portrait entitled ‘Public Enemy Number One’. It featured Katie Price’s face fused on to a picture of evil moors murderer Myra Hindley after the glamour model topped a poll as Britain’s most hated woman.