Religion in the Republic of Ireland

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A pie chart showing the proportion of followers of each religion (and none) in Ireland in 2006.

The primary religion in the Republic of Ireland is Christianity. Irish Christianity is dominated by the Roman Catholic Church. Historically, prior to the arrival of Christianity, Celtic polytheism was the dominant religion of the nation.

Ireland's constitution states that the state may not endow any particular religion, and also guarantees freedom of religion. Approximately 86.8% of the population identify themselves as Roman Catholic and are from a Roman Catholic background.^[1] According to a Georgetown University study, the country also has one of the highest rates of regular and weekly Mass attendance in the Western World.^[2] However, according to this source, there has been a major decline in this attendance in the course of the past 30 years. Between 1996 and 2001, regular Mass attendance, declined further from 60% to 48%^[3] (it had been above 90% before 1973), and all but two of its major seminaries have closed (St Patrick's College, Maynooth and St Malachy's College, Belfast). A number of theological colleges continue to educate both ordained and lay people.

The second largest Christian denomination, the Church of Ireland (Anglican), was declining in number for most of the twentieth century, but has more recently experienced an increase in membership, according to the 2006 census, as have other small Christian denominations, as well as Hinduism. Other large Protestant denominations are the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, followed by the Methodist Church in Ireland. Between 2002 and 2006 there was a 69% increase in the number of Muslims living in Ireland, which makes Islam the fastest growing and the third largest religion in the country. The very small Jewish community in Ireland also recorded a marginal increase (see History of the Jews in Ireland) in the same period.

According to the 2006 census, the number of people who described themselves as having "no religion" was 186,318 (4.4%), although this fails to differentiate between non-religious people and pagans/spiritual people who simply reject formal Christian dogma. An additional 1,515 people described themselves as agnostic and 929 as atheist instead of ticking the "no religion" box. This brings the total nonreligious within the state to 4.5% of the population. A further 70,322 (1.7%) did not state a religion.^[4]

[edit] Religion and politics

St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland (part of the Anglican Communion).

Originally, the 1937 Constitution of Ireland gave the Catholic Church a "special position" as the church of the majority, but also recognised other Christian denominations and Judaism. As with other predominantly Catholic European states, the Irish state underwent a period of legal secularisation in the late twentieth century. In 1972, the article of the Constitution naming specific religious groups, including the Catholic Church, was deleted by the fifth amendment of the constitution in a referendum.

Article 44 remains in the Constitution. It begins:

The State acknowledges that the homage of public worship is due to Almighty God. It shall hold His Name in reverence, and shall respect and honour religion.

The article also establishes freedom of religion (for belief, practice, and organisation without undue interference from the state), prohibits endowment of any particular religion, prohibits the state from religious discrimination, and requires the state to treat religious and non-religious schools in a non-prejudicial manner.

[edit] Religion and education

Despite a large number of schools in Ireland being run by religious organisations, a general trend of secularism is occurring within the Irish population, particularly in the younger generations.^[5] Many efforts have been made by secular groups to eliminate the rigorous study in the second and sixth classes, to prepare for the sacraments of Holy Communion and confirmation in Catholic schools – parents can ask for their children to be excluded from religious study if they wish. However, religious studies as a subject was introduced into the state administered Junior Certificate in 2001; it is not compulsory and deals with aspects of different religions, not focusing on one particular religion.

Schools run by religious organisations, but receiving public money and recognition, are not allowed to discriminate against pupils based upon religion (or lack of). A sanctioned system of preference does exist, where students of a particular religion may be accepted before those who do not share the ethos of the school, in a case where a school's quota has already been reached.

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[edit] Christianity

Saint Patrick, shown here preaching to kings, was a Romano-Briton Christian missionary and is the most generally recognised patron saint of Ireland.

Christianity is by far the largest religion in the Republic of Ireland. Irish Christianity is dominated by the Roman Catholic Church which has 86.8% of the population as followers. It should be noted that most churches are organised on an all-Ireland basis which includes both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

• Protestantism in Ireland
• Presbyterian Church in Ireland
• Methodist Church in Ireland
• Eastern Orthodoxy in the Republic of Ireland

[edit] Saints

The patron saints of Ireland (the island) are Patrick, Brigid of Kildare, and Columba. However, Saint Patrick is the only one of the three who is commonly recognised as the patron saint. Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, is celebrated in Ireland and abroad as the Irish national day, with parades and other celebrations.

[edit] Islam

[edit] Hinduism

[edit] Jewish

[edit] Demographic data

The 2006 census showed the following results:

A pie chart showing the proportion of followers of each religion (and none) in Ireland in 2006.

[edit] Eurobarometer Poll 2005

According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll 2005,^[6]

• 73% of Irish citizens responded that "they believe there is a God"
• 22% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force"
• 4% answered that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God, or life force"

[edit] See also

• Atheist Ireland
• Neo-paganism in Ireland
• Quakers Ireland Yearly Meeting
• Religion in Northern Ireland
• Humanist Association of Ireland
• Category:Religion in the Republic of Ireland by county

[edit] References