Image: Dave Winer

A Catholic priest has warned people not to play with Ouija boards over the Christmas period in case they accidentally allow evil spirits into their home.

The Dublin-based man of the cloth spoke anonymously to the Irish Independent about the boards, which are believed by many to be a way of contacting the dead, saying: “It’s easy to open up evil spirits but it’s very hard to get rid of them.

“People, especially young people and teenagers who are likely to experiment with Ouija boards on a whim, can be very naive in thinking that they are only contacting the departed souls of loved-ones when they attempt to communicate with the dead using the boards. “It’s like going to some parts of Africa and saying I’m personally immune to Ebola, but it does leave people open to all kinds of spiritual dangers.”

The most famous film based around the idea of exorcism, The Exorcist, is due to be released again this Christmas in an updated format. It follows the release of the popular film, Ouija, starring Olivia Cooke.

Darren Ansell from the Paranormal Study and Investigation team agreed that Ouija boards were not a good idea for a festive game, saying: “[I] wouldn’t touch an Ouija board with a barge pole. I’ve had too many scares over the years.”