Parents are reporting that "it's impossible" to rent bouncy castles amid a surge in Communion and Confirmations over the next two weeks.
Pent up demand from the Covid-19 pandemic and the ability to meet in large groups are believed to be causing the shortage.
Families in Waterford are understood to be paying in excess of €400 for bouncy castle rental this weekend.
According to bouncy castle rental companies, parents have been prebooking inflatables as soon as primary schools released dates for the two sacraments.
Arina Lewkowski, who runs the family business Magic Bouncy Castle in Dublin with her husband Michael, says bookings started just after Christmas:
"So we started to take bookings a good two months in advance. The end of January... is when we first started to take bookings.
"This morning I've already had a few calls regarding this coming weekend hoping for a cancellation - demand is very high this year for sure."
With school gate conversations increasingly turning to all things bouncy castle, those on Twitter used the opportunity to poke fun at those desperate for a castle over the coming weeks...
Heard the most brilliant term today “bouncy castle Catholics” #CommunionSeason
— Linda (@LindyMean) May 18, 2022
