Madam, - To exploit Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper - one of the great artistic masterpieces - in order to promote gambling displays a stunning insensitivity to the religious and cultural sensitivities of many Irish people.
But to distort this work, in a grotesque caricature, by using gambling chips as a substitute for the Holy Eucharist transcends any meaning of the word "offensive". To describe it as being "tongue in cheek" is indefensible. The advertisement is not "clever". It does not "push the boundaries out". It is nakedly blasphemous.
Perhaps the copywriters who devised this despicable campaign - or Paddy Power, who commissioned it - were unaware of the Gospel text of St John (whom they also see fit to parody) relating to the Crucifixion which follows on so quickly after the last supper:
"When the soldiers had finished crucifying Jesus they took his garments and divided them into four shares, one for each soldier. His undergarment was seamless, woven in one piece from neck to hem; so they said to one another, 'Instead of tearing it, let's throw dice to decide who is to have it'.
"In this way the words of scripture were fulfilled: They shared out my clothing among them. They cast lots for my clothes. This is exactly what the soldiers did."
Paddy Power Ltd: you should be ashamed of yourself. - Yours, etc,
RAY KINSELLA, Cronroe, Ashford, Co Wicklow.