List of settlements on the island of Ireland by population

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This is a list of the 60 largest towns and cities on the island of Ireland by population. It therefore includes towns and cities in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The population figures listed are for the urban area around each settlement excluding areas that fall within the boundary of another town or city. The figures for Northern Ireland towns are based on the preliminary 2021 Northern Ireland Census,[1] while the figures for the Republic are based on the 2016 Census of Ireland.[2] Settlements in bold have city status.

Rank Settlement Population Province County Jurisdiction Description
1 Dublin 1,173,179 Leinster County Dublin Republic Capital city of the Republic of Ireland. Largest settlement on the island since the Middle Ages, except for a brief period around 1900. The Greater Dublin Area has a population of 2,073,459.
2 Belfast 483,418 Ulster County Antrim, County Down Northern Capital of Northern Ireland and largest city in all of Ulster. Home to Northern Ireland's devolved government and power-sharing assembly. Belfast received city status in 1888. Briefly Ireland's most populous city around 1900.
3 Cork 222,333 Munster County Cork Republic Largest city in the province of Munster in the south of Ireland. Cork is one of Ireland's oldest cities, having received city status in the 900s.
4 Limerick 94,192 Munster County Limerick, County Clare Republic Principal city of Ireland's Mid-West Region and second-largest city in Munster
5 Derry 93,512 Ulster County Londonderry Northern Second-largest city in all of Ulster
6 Galway 79,934 Connacht County Galway Republic Largest city in the province of Connacht and the sparsely-populated West of Ireland
7 Newtownabbey 67,590 Ulster County Antrim Northern Part of the Belfast Metropolitan Area.
8 Bangor 64,605 Ulster County Down Northern Granted city status in 2022. Though a city in its own right, it is also part of the wider Belfast Metropolitan Area.
9 Waterford 53,504 Munster County Waterford, County Kilkenny Republic Third-largest in the province of Munster. It is the island of Ireland’s oldest surviving city founded by Vikings in the 9th century AD.
10 Lisburn 51,452 Ulster County Antrim, County Down Northern Granted city status in 2002. The city lies on the border between County Antrim and County Down, Northern Ireland's two most populated counties. Though a city in its own right, it is also part of the wider Belfast Metropolitan Area.
11 Drogheda 40,956[3] Leinster County Louth, County Meath Republic Largest town in the Republic of Ireland, located in County Louth with its southern environs located in County Meath
12 Dundalk[3] 39,904[4] Leinster County Louth Republic County town of County Louth
13 Swords[3] 39,248 Leinster County Dublin,

Fingal

Republic North Dublin suburban town and second-largest settlement in County Dublin after the city itself. Forms part of the Greater Dublin Area. Lies both in the traditional County Dublin and since 1994, Fingal County.
14 Bray[3] 32,600 Leinster County Wicklow, County Dublin[5] Republic Most populous town in County Wicklow. An extremely small portion of the town is in County Dublin. Bray is considered part of the Greater Dublin Area.
15 Navan[3] 30,173 Leinster County Meath Republic County town and largest settlement in County Meath.
16 Ballymena 31,119 Ulster County Antrim Northern
17 Newtownards 29,637 Ulster County Down Northern
18 Lurgan 28,634 Ulster County Armagh Northern Largest settlement in County Armagh.
19 Newry 28,537 Ulster County Down, County Armagh Northern Granted city status in 2000, it is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest city
20 Carrickfergus 28,135 Ulster County Antrim Northern Though a town in its own right, it is also part of the wider Belfast Metropolitan Area.
21 Kilkenny[3] 26,512 Leinster County Kilkenny Republic County town and largest settlement in County Kilkenny, granted city status in 1609
22 Antrim 25,607 Ulster County Antrim Northern County town of Country Antrim.
23 Ennis[3] 25,276 Munster County Clare Republic County town and largest settlement in County Clare. Largest town in Munster.
24 Coleraine 24,479 Ulster County Londonderry Northern
25 Carlow[3] 24,272 Leinster County Carlow Republic County town and largest settlement in County Carlow.
26 Tralee[3] 23,691 Munster County Kerry Republic County town and largest settlement in County Kerry.
27 Newbridge 22,742 Leinster County Kildare Republic Largest town in County Kildare.
28 Portlaoise 22,050 Leinster County Laois Republic County town and largest settlement in County Laois.
29 Balbriggan 21,722 Leinster County Dublin Republic Forms part of the Greater Dublin Area.
30 Naas 21,393 Leinster County Kildare Republic
31 Athlone 21,349 Leinster County Westmeath Republic Largest settlement in County Westmeath.
32 Portadown 21,097 Ulster County Armagh Northern
33 Mullingar 20,928 Leinster County Westmeath Republic County town of County Westmeath.
34 Omagh 20,458 Ulster County Tyrone Northern County town and largest settlement in County Tyrone.
35 Celbridge 20,288 Leinster County Kildare Republic
36 Wexford 20,188 Leinster County Wexford Republic County town and largest settlement in County Wexford.
37 Letterkenny 19,274 Ulster County Donegal Republic Largest settlement in County Donegal
38 Sligo 19,199 Connacht County Sligo Republic County town of County Sligo, second largest settlement in Connacht and largest town in Connacht
39 Larne 18,856 Ulster County Antrim Northern
40 Greystones 18,140 Leinster County Wicklow Republic
41 Banbridge 17,403 Ulster County Down Northern
42 Clonmel 17,140 Munster County Tipperary Republic Largest settlement in County Tipperary
43 Malahide 16,550 Leinster County Dublin,

Fingal

Republic Forms part of the Greater Dublin Area. Households in Malahide have the highest median incomes in Ireland.[6]
44 Armagh 16,308 Ulster County Armagh Northern County town of County Armagh and ecclesiastical capital of Ireland.
45 Dungannon 16,282 Ulster County Tyrone Northern
46 Carrigaline 15,770 Munster County Cork Republic Forms part of Metropolitan Cork.
47 Leixlip 15,504 Leinster County Kildare Republic
48 Tullamore 14,607 Leinster County Offaly Republic County town and largest settlement in County Offaly
49 Maynooth 14,585 Leinster County Kildare Republic
50 Killarney 14,504 Munster County Kerry Republic
51 Enniskillen 14,082 Ulster County Fermanagh Northern County town and largest settlement in County Fermanagh
52 Strabane 13,506 Ulster County Tyrone Northern
53 Arklow 13,163 Leinster County Wicklow Republic
54 Cobh 12,800 Munster County Cork Republic
55 Ashbourne 12,679 Leinster County Meath Republic
56 Cookstown 12,546 Ulster County Tyrone Northern
57 Midleton 12,496 Munster County Cork Republic
58 Mallow 12,459 Munster County Cork Republic
59 Castlebar 12,068 Connacht County Mayo Republic County town and largest settlement in County Mayo
60 Limavady 11,730 Ulster County Londonderry Northern

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Census 2021" (PDF). Nisra.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Census 2016" (PDF). Cso.ie. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Latest News - All-Island Research Observatory". Airo.maynoothuniversity.ie. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  4. ^ "Dundalk Legal Town Results inc. Environs". Central Statistics Office. 2011. Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  5. ^ "Bray: Gateway to Wicklow | Wicklow.ie". www.wicklow.ie. Retrieved 2021-10-22.
  6. ^ Gleeson, Colin. "Households in Malahide enjoy highest incomes in State". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
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