A video of a bride and groom singing "F**k the Pope and the IRA" at their wedding reception has caused outrage on social media with some branding the video "disgraceful" and "sad".
The video taken on Friday showed the newlyweds enter their wedding reception in a hotel in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, singing the sectarian lyrics to the tune of Tina Turner's Simply the best while guests - including children - looked on.
The Belfast Loughshore Hotel defended their staff for not halting the chants and said they were “not prepared to intervene and “risk it becoming something much worse”.
Stephen Carson, head of the hotel, said: "The events had absolutely nothing to do with the owners, management or staff.
"To the many people commenting, 'Why didn't the hotel manager step in and put a stop to it?', my answer is simple.
"I would never ask anyone to do something that I would not do. I can assure you all that I would not be prepared to risk what was a 90-second episode where no one was hurt becoming something much worse."
The sectarian song performed at the wedding is commonly used by Glasgow Rangers football fans in Scotland and Unionists in Northern Ireland.
Since the video emerged online it has been viewed over 1.5 million times leaving many viewers disgusted.
One user on Facebook said: "Disgraceful. They don't think much of the guests and families and children. They must have a very sad life organising to have that played at their wedding."
Another said: "Sad, sad couple if that's all they could sing on their wedding day."
A Twitter user commented: "Imagine; You finally get married to the love of your life. You and he are surrounded by loved ones.
"This is all that's in the minds of these two amadáns. "F**k the Pope and the IRA". Miserable people boi I swear."
Some social media users, however, claim people are overreacting to the trending story.
One Twitter user said: “A lassie sung ‘f**k the Pope and the IRA’ at her own private wedding function.
“Who the f**k cares? Is it really a massive issue? The daft a**e that filmed it and made it public has stuck them in it.
“I can't see why everyone is shocked at this. Massive overreaction.”
More sympathetic comments echoed one Facebook user who said: "And the problem is??? It's their wedding."
While another added: "Their wedding and their choice how to celebrate it.
"But it speaks volumes about them that this was how they decided to do it.
"Hardly worth getting peeved over it."
