The predominant religion in the Republic of Ireland is Christianity, with the largest denomination being the Catholic Church. The Constitution of Ireland says that the state may not endorse any particular religion and guarantees freedom of religion.
In the 2022 census, 69.1% (3.5 million) of the population identified as Catholic. The next largest group after Catholic was "no religion" at 14%. The Eastern Orthodox Church was Ireland's second largest Christian denomination, with 2.1% of the population identifying as Orthodox Christians. It has been Ireland's fastest-growing religion since 1991.
The third largest Christian denomination, the Church of Ireland declined in membership for much of the 20th century, but remained largely static at 2% of the population between the 2016 and 2022 census. Other significant Protestant denominations are the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, followed by the Methodist Church in Ireland. Ireland's Muslim and Hindu populations have experienced significant growth in recent years.
Politics
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 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.
Education
Despite a large number of schools in the Republic of Ireland being run by religious organisations but funded by the state, a general trend of secularism is occurring within the Irish population, particularly in the younger generations.Among other sources, see:John Daniszewski, 17 April 2005, Catholicism Losing Ground in Ireland, LA TimesIrish poll shows parents no longer want to force religion on to children from secularism.org.ukPhil Lawler, 17 September 2007, Ireland threatened by secularism, Pope tells new envoy, Catholic World News
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.Ireland Curriculum Online website, Junior Certificate Religious Education 2016, page 4
In October 2020, general secretary of Education and Training Boards Ireland Paddy Lavelle confirmed that multidenominational state secondary schools, called State's Education and Training Boards (ETBs) - formerly called vocational schools - were going to phase out a set of Catholic influences such as mandatory graduation masses, displaying Catholic symbols only, and visits from diocesan inspectors, as described in the 'framework for the recognition of religious belief/identities of all students in ETB schools'.
Christianity
Christianity is the largest religion in Ireland based on baptisms. Irish Christianity is dominated by the Catholic Church, and Christianity as a whole accounts for 82.3% of the Irish population. Most churches are organised on an all-Ireland basis, which includes both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The vast majority of Protestants in all of Ireland live within the nine-county Province of Ulster, especially within Northern Ireland, East Donegal, and Inishowen.
Catholic Church in Ireland Protestantism in Ireland Presbyterian Church in Ireland Methodist Church in Ireland Eastern Orthodoxy in the Republic of Ireland The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ireland Ireland Yearly Meeting Irish travellers have traditionally adopted a very particular attitude to the Catholic Church, with a focus on figures such as "healing priests". More generally a tradition of visions continues, often outside of Church sanction.
Evangelical movements have recently spread both within the established churches and outside them. Celtic Christianity has become increasingly popular, again both within and outside established churches.
The patron saints of Ireland for Catholics and Anglicans are Saint Patrick, Saint Brigid and Saint Columba. Saint Patrick is the only one of the three who is commonly recognised as the patron saint. Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated in Ireland and abroad on 17 March.
Eastern Orthodoxy in Ireland is represented mainly by immigrants from Eastern European countries, such as Romania, Russia, or Ukraine. Orthodox Christians account for 2.1% of the population.
Church attendance
Church attendance in the Republic of Ireland Year% of weekly church attendance in Ireland 1973 1984 1985 1990 1990 1991 1995 1996 1998 2002 2003 2005 2005 2006 2007 2007–2008 2008 2009
Church attendance among Irish Catholics Year% of weekly church attendance among Irish Catholics 1972–1973 1990 2007–2008 2010 2011 2018
In 2008, Ireland had one of the highest rates of regular Mass attendance in the Europe.Weekly Mass Attendance of Catholics in Nations with Large Catholic Populations, 1980-2000 – World Values Survey (WVS) Daily Mass attendance was 13% in 2006. There was a reduction in weekly attendance from 85% to 48% between 1990 and 2006, although the decline was reported as levelling off.Irish Mass attendance below 50% – Catholic World News 1 June 2006 A 1970s survey recorded figures of 91%.
In 2011, it was reported that weekly Mass attendance in Dublin was on average 18%, with it being lower among younger generations and in some areas less than 2%. A 2012 survey of Irish Catholics undertaken by the Association of Catholic Priests found the weekly mass attendance rate to be 35% on an all-island basis, while daily mass attendance was reported at 3%.
No religion
While Ireland was traditionally Catholic throughout much of its modern history, irreligion in Ireland increased seven-fold between the 1991 census and 2016 census, and further increased as of the 2022 census. At the 2022 census, 14% of the population was irreligious.
Among Roman Catholics, a 2010 Bishops Conference survey found that 10.1% of Irish adults who identified as Roman Catholic did not believe in God.
In a 2012 WIN-Gallup International poll, Ireland had the second highest decline in religiosity from 69% in 2005 to 47% in 2012.Atheists Rally On National Mall retrieved 2012-10-05 Those who considered themselves not a religious person increased from 25% in 2005 to 44% in 2012. The poll showed that 10% of Ireland considered themselves convinced atheists, which was an increase from 2005.Atheists Rally On National Mall retrieved 2012-10-05 These percentages decreased further between 2012 and 2016.
Judaism
The earliest recorded presence of Jews in Ireland was in 1062 in the Annals of Inisfallen. In 1946, the Jewish population was 3,907. In 2011, the population declined to 1,581, due to emigration. As of 2016, those listing their religion as Jewish was 2,557, the statistical surge since 2011 attributed to the presence of American hi-tech workers who are dominantly secular.
Islam
In 2017, Islam was the third largest religion in Ireland, constituting 1.62% of the country's population. In 2022, there were 83,300 practising Muslims living in Ireland, up from 63,000 in 2016. 2016 data There are approximately 50 mosques and prayer centres in Ireland. There is more than one mosque or prayer centre in each province. Islam has a 60-year long and complex organisational history in Ireland.
Buddhism The Buddhist population in Ireland is 9,358 (0.2%). Irish Buddhists such as U Dhammaloka are recorded from the late nineteenth century on, with numbers growing particularly in the 21st century. Beyond formal membership in Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana and Western Buddhist groups, there is increasing syncretism, with self-identified Christians and others using Buddhist meditation techniques, Buddha images, texts by figures such as the 14th Dalai Lama and so on.
Reputed links between Buddhism and Celtic religion have long played a role in Irish literature. The first Irish Buddhist Union was formed in 2018, with representatives of five Buddhist schools coming together to form the body.
Sikhism
In 2016, there were approximately 2,000 Irish Sikhs, with 1,705 recorded in the 2016 census. Most Sikhs in Ireland are based in Dublin, where the Gurdwara, Guru Nanak Darbar is the main place of worship and in recent times has facilitated a Sikh parade known as the Nagar Kirtan during Vaisakhi celebrations.
Hinduism
Hinduism is a minority faith in Ireland, followed by 0.7% of its population. In the 2022 Census, there were 33,043 Hindus in Ireland.
Neo-paganism
Various Neopagan movements are active in Ireland, especially Wicca, Neo-druidry and Celtic Polytheism. Ireland is a significant point of reference for various kinds of Celtic and other neo-pagan spirituality and religious practice around the world, such as the Fellowship of Isis.
New Age religious movements New Age religious movements are becoming increasingly significant in Ireland, often as a form of syncretism for members of established religions. Participation is strongly gendered, with a high proportion of women.
Demographics Census information Between 2006 and 2011, Catholics decreased as a percentage of the population. Catholicism still increased in absolute numbers, due to an excess of births over deaths, and immigration from countries such as Poland. Between 2011 and 2016, absolute numbers of Catholics fell. In the same period, Protestantism, including the Church of Ireland, decreased in percentage but has experienced a modest rise in absolute numbers. Those declaring no religion, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Islam had significant increases.
+Religion stated in Irish censuses, 1861–2016; number and percentage of total population return (1861–1926)