From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The population of the Island of Ireland in 2016 was approximately 4.75 million[1] in the Republic of Ireland with another 1.85 million[2] in Northern Ireland . Although this is a significant growth over recent years, it is still some way below the record high of the early 1840s.
Between 1780 and 1840, Ireland experienced rapid population growth, rising from about 3 million in 1780 to over 8 million by 1840. In 1841, the population of the area now covering the Republic of Ireland was over 6.5 million people. The subsequent Great Famine and the emigration it caused had a dramatic effect, so that by 1871, the 26-county population had dropped by over a third to four million, and by 1926 had reduced further to three million. It held firm around three million until the early 1970s, when the population began to rise again. Future predictions are for the population to continue to rise until 2031 when it is predicted to be just over five million.[3] The Republic of Ireland is one of the few remaining developed economies to have growth of this scale.
Below are some statistics to illustrate the rise, fall and rise again of the population since 1841. The statistics also illustrate a massive population shift from the west to the east of the country and increasing urbanisation. Counties such as Mayo, Roscommon, Donegal and Leitrim have become depopulated while counties surrounding Dublin including Wicklow, Kildare, Louth and Meath have seen rapid population growth in recent years.
Historical country population
Data for country population refers to the 26 counties that make up the present state of the Republic of Ireland [4]
Year
Population
%Change
2016
4.76m
3.7
2011
4.58m
7.4
2006
4.24m
8.1
2002
3.92m
8.2
1996
3.63m
2.9
1991
3.53m
0.6
1986
3.54m
2.8
1981
3.44m
2.3
1979
3.37m
13.2
1971
2.98m
3.2
1966
2.88m
2.3
1961
2.82m
2.7
1956
2.90m
2.2
1951
2.96m
0.3
1946
2.96m
0.5
1936
2.97m
0.2
1926
2.97m
5.4
1911
3.14m
2.6
1901
3.22m
7.1
1891
3.47m
10.3
1881
3.87m
4.5
1871
4.05m
5.7
1861
4.40m
13.9
1851
5.11m
21.7
1841
6.53m
The population of the 6 counties of Northern Ireland as of 2016 is 1,851,600 which would mean a total population on the island of Ireland as of mid-2016 of approximately 6,609,576. This means the population of the island of Ireland has, for the first time in 165 years, exceeded the population recorded in the Census of 1851, the first census immediately after the Great Famine, when the population of the island was recorded at 6,575,000.[5]
County populations 2016
County
Population
%Change
County
Population
%Change
1
Dublin
1,345,402
+5.9
Antrim
618,109
+1.8
2
Cork
542,196
+4.7
Down
531,665
+8.7
3
Galway
258,552
+3.2
Londonderry
247,132
+4.8
4
Kildare
222,130
+5.8
Tyrone
177,986
+8.4
5
Limerick
195,175
+2.0
Armagh
174,792
+7.3
6
Meath
194,942
+5.9
Fermanagh
61,170
+6.3
7
Tipperary
160,441
+1.1
8
Donegal
158,753
-1.4
9
Wexford
149,605
+3.0
10
Kerry
147,554
+1.7
11
Wicklow
142,232
+4.2
12
Mayo
130,425
-0.1
13
Louth
128,375
+4.5
14
Clare
118,627
+1.5
15
Waterford
116,401
+2.4
16
Kilkenny
99,118
+3.9
17
Westmeath
88,396
+2.8
18
Laois
84,732
+5.3
19
Offaly
78,003
+1.6
20
Cavan
76,092
+4.4
21
Sligo
65,357
-0.1
22
Roscommon
64,436
+0.8
23
Monaghan
61,273
+1.3
24
Carlow
56,875
+4.3
25
Longford
40,810
+4.7
26
Leitrim
31,972
+0.6
See also List of Irish counties by population
Historical populations per province
(Measured in 1000's)
Data for Ulster refers to the 3 counties of Ulster that constitute part of the Republic of Ireland : Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan
Leinster
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
2,631
2,501
2,292
2,103
1,920
1,858
1,851
1,789
1,741
1,495
1,413
1,330
1,336
1,336
1,278
1,217
1,147
1,160
1,152
1,186
1,276
1,336
1,454
1,668
1,969
Rank
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
%Change
5.2
9
9
9.53
3.34
0.38
3.47
2.76
16.45
5.8
6.24
-(0.45)
0
4.54
5.01
6.10
-(1.12)
0.69
-(2.87)
-(7.05)
-(4.49)
-(8.12)
-(12.83)
-(15.29)
Munster
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
1,280
1,244
1,173
1,098
1,032
1,004
1,018
996
978
879
856
847
874
897
914
940
968
1,033
1,073
1,169
1,328
1,390
1,510
1,856
2,394
Rank
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
%Change
2.9
6.0
6.83
6.4
2.79
-(1.38)
2.21
1.84
11.26
2.69
1.06
-(3.09)
-(2.56)
-(1.86)
-(2.77)
-(2.89)
-(6.29)
-(3.73)
-(8.21)
-(11.97)
-(4.46)
-(7.95)
-(18.64)
-(22.47)
Connacht
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
551
542
504
464
431
421
431
424
418
390
401
418
446
471
493
525
552
611
646
724
820
846
911
1,008
1,417
Rank
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
%Change
1.7
7.5
8.62
7.66
2.38
-(2.32)
1.65
1.44
7.18
-(2.74)
-(4.07)
-(6.28)
-(5.31)
-(4.46)
-(6.10)
-(4.89)
-(9.66)
-(5.42)
-(10.77)
-(11.71)
-(3.07)
-(7.14)
-(9.62)
-(28.86)
Ulster
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
296
294
267
247
233
232
236
230
226
207
209
218
236
253
263
280
300
331
347
385
438
474
517
571
739
Rank
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
%Change
0.7
10.1
8.1
6.01
0.43
-(1.69)
2.61
1.77
9.18
-(0.96)
-(4.13)
-(7.63)
-(6.72)
-(3.80)
-(6.07)
-(6.67)
-(9.37)
-(4.61)
-(9.87)
-(12.10)
-(7.59)
-(8.32)
-(9.46)
-(22.73)
Historical populations per county
(Measured in 1000's)
Dublin
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
1,345
1,271
1,186
1,122
1,058
1,025
1,021
1,003
983
852
795
718
705
693
636
586
505
477
448
419
418
405
410
405
372
Rank
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
5
%Change
5.8
7.0
5.7
6.05
3.22
0.39
1.8
2.04
15.37
7.17
10.72
1.84
1.73
8.96
8.53
16.04
5.87
6.47
6.92
0.24
3.21
- (1.22)
1.23
8.87
Cork
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
542
519
481
447
420
410
412
402
396
352
339
330
336
341
343
355
365
391
404
438
495
517
544
649
854
Rank
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
%Change
4.4
7.7
7.61
6.43
2.44
− (0.49)
2.48
1.52
12.5
3.84
2.73
- (1.82)
- (1.49)
- (0.59)
- (3.5)
- (2.82)
- (7.12)
- (3.3)
- (8.42)
- (13.01)
− (4.26)
− (4.96)
− (16.18)
− (24)
Galway
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
258
251
231
209
188
180
178
172
167
149
148
149
155
160
165
168
169
182
192
214
242
248
271
321
440
Rank
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
4
2
%Change
2.8
8.1
10.53
11.17
4.44
1.12
3.49
2.91
12.08
0.68
- (0.68)
- (4.03)
- (3.13)
- (3.13)
- (1.82)
- (0.6)
- (7.7)
- (5.5)
- (11.46)
- (14.15)
− (2.42)
− (8.49)
− (15.58)
− (27.05)
Kildare
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
222
210
186
163
134
122
116
104
97
71
66
64
65
66
64
57
58
66
63
70
75
83
90
95
114
Rank
4
4
4
5
5
7
8
9
9
13
14
14
14
14
17
20
19
17
20
20
20
20
21
24
25
%Change
5.7
12.7
14.11
21.64
9.84
5.17
11.54
7.22
36.62
7.58
3.13
- (1.56)
- (1.56)
3.13
12.28
- (1.56)
- (13.79)
4.76
- (11.11)
- (7.14)
− (9.64)
− (7.78)
− (5.26)
− (16.67)
Limerick
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
195
191
184
175
165
161
164
161
157
140
137
133
137
141
142
141
140
143
146
158
180
191
217
262
330
Rank
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
6
7
8
8
8
8
8
7
6
6
%Change
2.1
4.01
5.14
6.06
2.48
− (1.83)
1.86
2.55
12.14
2.19
3.01
- (3.01)
- (2.92)
- (0.71)
0.71
0.71
- (2.14)
- (2.10)
- (8.22)
- (13.92)
− (5.76)
− (11.98)
− (17.18)
− (20.61)
Meath
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
194
184
163
134
109
105
103
95
90
71
67
65
66
66
66
61
62
65
67
76
87
95
110
140
183
Rank
6
6
6
8
10
10
10
11
11
13
13
13
13
14
14
17
18
18
18
18
18
18
17
16
16
%Change
5.4
13.0
21.6
22.94
3.81
1.94
8.42
5.56
26.76
5.97
3.08
- (1.54)
-
-
8.2
- (1.64)
- (6.84)
- (3.08)
- (13.43)
- (11.84)
− (8.42)
− (13.64)
− (21.43)
− (23.5)
Tipperary
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
160
159
149
140
133
131
136
134
133
123
121
123
128
133
135
137
140
151
159
172
199
216
248
331
435
Rank
7
8
7
6
6
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
6
6
7
8
7
7
7
7
7
6
5
3
3
%Change
0.6
6.4
6.43
5.26
1.53
− (3.68)
1.49
0.75
8.13
1.65
- (1.65)
- (2.19)
- (2.19)
- (1.5)
- (1.5)
- (2.19)
- (7.86)
- (5.3)
- (8.18)
- (15.7)
− (8.87)
− (12.9)
− (25.08)
− (23.91)
Donegal
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
158
161
147
137
129
128
130
125
122
108
109
114
122
114
136
142
153
169
174
187
206
218
237
255
296
Rank
8
7
8
7
7
7
6
6
6
6
8
8
8
7
6
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
6
7
7
%Change
- (1.9)
9.3
7.3
6.2
0.78
− (1.54)
4.0
2.46
12.96
- (0.93)
- (4.59)
- (7.02)
7.02
- (19.02)
- (4.42)
- (7.75)
- (10.46)
- (4.59)
- (7.47)
- (10.16)
− (5.5)
− (8.02)
− (7.06)
− (13.85)
Wexford
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
149
145
132
116
104
102
103
99
96
86
83
83
87
90
92
94
96
102
104
112
123
132
143
180
202
Rank
9
9
10
11
11
11
10
10
10
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
10
10
11
12
12
12
10
12
%Change
2.8
10.3
13.79
11.54
1.96
−0.97
−6.82
−7.69
−20.56
−10.89
Kerry
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
147
145
140
132
126
121
124
122
120
112
112
116
122
126
133
139
149
159
165
179
201
196
201
238
293
Rank
10
10
9
9
8
8
7
7
7
6
7
7
7
8
8
7
6
6
6
6
6
7
8
8
8
%Change
1.4
3.7
6.06
4.76
4.13
−2.42
2.55
−2.49
−15.55
−18.77
Wicklow
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
142
136
126
114
102
97
95
87
84
66
60
58
60
63
60
59
58
61
61
62
70
78
86
98
126
Rank
11
11
11
12
12
12
12
15
15
15
15
17
18
18
19
19
19
21
22
24
24
22
24
23
23
%Change
4.4
8.1
10.53
11.76
5.15
2.11
−10.26
−9.3
−12.24
−22.22
Mayo
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
130
131
124
117
111
110
115
114
114
109
115
123
133
141
148
161
172
192
199
219
245
246
254
274
388
Rank
12
12
12
10
9
9
9
8
8
7
6
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
5
4
%Change
- 0.8
5.4
7.09
9.41
0.91
−8.09
−0.41
−3.15
−7.3
−39.87
Louth
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
128
123
111
102
92
91
92
89
86
75
70
67
69
69
66
64
63
64
66
71
78
84
91
108
128
Rank
13
13
13
14
15
13
13
12
13
11
12
12
12
12
14
16
17
19
19
19
19
19
19
22
22
%Change
4.06
10.4
8.82
10.87
1.1
−1.09
−7.14
−7.69
−15.74
−15.63
Clare
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
118
117
111
103
94
90
91
88
85
75
74
74
77
81
85
90
95
104
112
124
141
147
166
212
286
Rank
14
14
13
13
13
15
14
14
14
11
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
%Change
0.9
5.3
7.77
9.57
4.44
−1.1
−4.08
−11.45
−21.7
−25.87
Waterford
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
116
114
108
102
94
91
91
89
87
77
73
71
74
75
76
78
79
84
87
98
112
123
134
164
196
Rank
15
15
15
15
13
13
14
12
12
10
11
11
11
11
11
11
13
13
13
13
13
13
13
13
15
%Change
1.8
5.3
6.93
7.45
3.3
0
−8.94
−8.21
−18.29
−16.33
Kilkenny
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
99
95
87
80
75
73
73
70
69
61
60
61
64
65
66
68
70
74
79
87
99
109
124
158
202
Rank
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
15
15
15
17
14
14
15
15
15
15
16
16
15
14
12
%Change
4.2
8.9
8.75
6.67
2.74
0
−9.17
−12.1
−21.52
−21.78
Westmeath
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
88
87
79
72
63
62
63
62
60
54
53
53
54
54
55
55
57
60
62
65
72
78
91
111
141
Rank
17
17
17
17
17
17
17
17
17
17
19
20
20
21
21
21
21
22
21
22
23
22
19
20
21
%Change
1.2
8.3
9.72
14.29
1.61
−1.59
−7.69
−14.29
−18.02
−21.28
Laois
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
84
80
67
59
52
52
53
51
49
45
44
45
47
48
49
50
51
54
57
64
73
79
90
111
153
Rank
18
18
19
19
21
21
22
22
23
23
23
23
23
23
23
24
24
24
24
23
21
21
21
20
19
%Change
5.0
20.0
13.56
13.46
0
−1.89
−7.59
−12.22
−18.92
−27.45
Offaly
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
78
77
71
64
59
58
60
58
57
52
52
52
52
53
54
51
53
57
60
66
73
76
90
112
147
Rank
19
19
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
20
20
21
21
22
22
22
23
23
23
21
21
24
21
18
20
%Change
1.3
8.4
10.94
8.47
1.72
−3.33
−3.95
−15.56
−19.64
−23.81
Cavan
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
76
73
64
57
53
53
54
54
54
53
54
57
62
66
70
77
82
91
98
112
129
141
154
174
243
Rank
20
20
20
21
20
20
21
21
20
19
18
18
17
14
13
13
12
12
12
11
11
10
11
11
11
%Change
4.1
13.9
12.28
7.55
0
−1.85
−8.51
−8.44
−11.49
−28.4
Sligo
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
65
65
61
58
55
54
56
55
55
50
51
54
57
61
62
67
71
79
84
98
111
115
124
128
180
Rank
21
21
21
20
19
19
19
19
19
21
21
19
19
19
18
15
14
14
14
13
14
14
15
17
17
%Change
0.0
7.2
5.17
5.45
1.85
−3.57
−3.48
−7.26
−3.13
−28.89
Roscommon
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
64
64
59
54
52
52
55
55
54
54
56
59
64
68
73
78
84
94
102
114
132
141
157
173
254
Rank
22
22
22
22
21
21
20
19
20
17
17
16
15
13
12
11
11
11
11
10
10
10
10
12
10
%Change
0.0
8.7
9.26
3.85
0
−5.45
−6.38
−10.19
−9.25
−31.89
Monaghan
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
61
60
56
53
51
51
52
51
50
46
46
47
52
55
57
61
65
71
75
86
103
115
126
142
200
Rank
23
23
23
23
23
23
23
22
22
22
22
22
21
20
20
17
16
16
16
16
15
14
14
15
14
%Change
1.7
8.0
5.66
3.92
0
−1.92
−10.43
−8.73
−11.27
−29
Carlow
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
56
54
50
46
42
41
41
40
39
34
34
33
34
34
34
34
34
36
38
41
47
52
57
68
86
Rank
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
24
25
26
26
26
26
26
26
26
26
26
26
26
26
%Change
3.7
8.3
8.7
9.52
2.44
0
−9.62
−8.77
−16.18
−20.93
Longford
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
40
39
34
31
30
30
31
31
31
28
29
31
33
35
36
38
40
44
47
53
61
65
72
82
115
Rank
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
26
26
26
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
24
%Change
2.6
13.3
9.68
3.33
0
−3.23
−6.15
−9.72
−12.2
−28.7
Leitrim
Year
2016
2011
2006
2002
1996
1991
1986
1981
1979
1971
1966
1961
1956
1951
1946
1936
1926
1911
1901
1891
1881
1871
1861
1851
1841
Population
32
32
29
26
25
25
27
28
28
28
31
33
37
41
45
51
56
64
69
79
90
96
105
112
155
Rank
26
26
26
26
26
26
26
26
26
25
25
24
24
24
24
22
22
19
17
17
17
17
18
18
18
%Change
0.0
9.8
11.54
4
0
−7.41
−6.25
−8.57
−6.25
−27.74
See also
References
External links