Religion in the Republic of Ireland

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The predominant religion in Ireland is Christianity, with the largest church being the Roman Catholic Church. Ireland's constitution states that the state may not endorse any particular religion and guarantees freedom of religion. In 2006, 86.8% of the population identified themselves as Roman Catholic, 1.4% less than 4 years earlier, although the number of Catholics increased by 218,800.^[1] According to a Georgetown University study, the country also has one of the highest rates of regular Mass attendance in the Western World.^[2] While daily Mass attendance was 13% in 2006 there had been a reduction in weekly attendance from 81% to 48% between 1990 and 2006, although the decline was reported as leveling off.^[3] In the 1970s a survery had given figures at 91%.^[4] 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%.^[5][6]

Other significant Protestant denominations are the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, followed by the Methodist Church in Ireland. The second largest Christian denomination, the Church of Ireland (Anglican), declined in membership for most of the twentieth century, but has more recently experienced an increase, as have other small Christian denominations. The country's Hindu and Muslim populations have experienced significant growth in recent years, due chiefly to immigration. In percentage terms, Orthodoxy and Islam were the fastest growing religions, up by 100% and 70% respectively.^[7] The 2006 census recorded 186,318 people (4.4%) who described themselves as having "no religion." An additional 1,515 people described themselves as agnostic and 929 as atheist. A further 70,322 (1.7%) did not respond to the question.^[8] Researchers debate the relative significance of secularisation as a general feature of Irish society,^[9] the interpretation of census results ^[10] and the extent to which religious syncretism is becoming more widespread.^[11] Religion will completely disappear from nine western countries (including Ireland) sometime this century, estimates a group of three US researchers.^[12]

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.

Education

See also: Education in the Republic of Ireland

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.^[13] 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, cannot discriminate against pupils based upon, or lack of, religion. 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.

Christianity

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

Main article: Christianity in Ireland

Christianity is by technically the largest religion in the Republic of Ireland based on baptisms, however the vast majority of the population do not practice religion on a regular basis, and a growing number of the population is moving more towards No-Religion, or Atheism. Irish Christianity is dominated by the Roman Catholic Church which has 86.8% of the population as followers. 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
• Mormonism in Ireland

Irish travellers have traditionally adopted a very particular attitude to the Catholic church, with a focus on figures such as "healing priests".^[14] More generally a tradition of visions continues, often outside of Church sanction.^[15]

Evangelical movements have recently spread both within the established churches and outside them.^[16] Celtic Christianity has become increasingly popular, again both within and outside established churches.^[17]

The patron saints of Ireland for Catholics and Anglicans are Saint Patrick, Saint Bridget 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.

Other religions

Islam

Main article: Islam in Ireland

32,000 adherents as of 2006 (0.8%). Irish Islam has a long and complex organisational history.^[18] Islamic new religious movements such as Fethullah Gulen are also represented in Ireland.^[19]

Buddhism

6,500 adherents as of 2006 (0.15%). Irish Buddhists such as U Dhammaloka are recorded from the late nineteenth century on, with numbers growing particularly in the 21st century.^{[citation needed]} 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.^[20] Reputed links between Buddhism and Celtic religion have long played a role in Irish literature.^[21]

Hinduism

Main article: Hinduism in Ireland

Neo-paganism

Various Neopagan movements are active in Ireland, especially Wicca, Neo-druidry and Celtic Polytheism.^[22] No official statistics exist, but presumably Neopagan religions account for a fraction of the 8,576 people stating adherence to "other religions", the 1,691 "pantheist" or the 70,322 "not stating" in 2006. Ireland is also a significant point of reference for various kinds of Celtic ^[23] and other neo-pagan spirituality and religious practice around the world, such as the Fellowship of Isis.^[24]

New Age

The New Age is increasingly significant in Ireland,^[25] often as a form of syncretism for members of established religions. Participation is strongly gendered, with a high proportion of women.^[26] A typical example is A course in miracles.^[27]

Demographics

The 2006 census showed the following results:

Religion	Number
Christian - Roman Catholic	3,681,456
Christian - Church of Ireland	125,580
Islam	32,539
Christian - Presbyterian	23,546
Christian - Orthodox	20,798
Christian - Methodist	12,160
Christian - Apostolic/Pentecostal	8,116
Buddhist	6,516
Hindu	6,082
Christian - Lutheran	5,279
Christian - Evangelical	5,276
Christian - Jehovah's Witness	5,152
Christian - Baptist	3,338
Jewish	1,930
Pantheist	1,691
Irreligious - Agnostic	1,515
Irreligious - Atheist	929
Christian - Latter Day Saints (Mormon)	1,237
Christian - Quaker (Society of Friends)	882
Irreligious - Lapsed Roman Catholic	540
Bahá'í	504
Christian - Plymouth Brethren	365
Christian - Other	29,206
Other religions	8,576
Irreligious - No Religion/Atheist/Agnostic	186,318
Not stated	70,322
Total	4,239,848

^[28]

Eurobarometer Poll 2005

According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll 2005,^[29]

• 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"

See also

• Saints of Ireland
• Religion in Northern Ireland
• Atheist Ireland
• Humanist Association of Ireland
• Category:Religion in the Republic of Ireland by county

References

1. ^ Final Principal Demographic Results 2006PDF (894 KB)
2. ^ Weekly Mass Attendance of Catholics in Nations with Large Catholic Populations, 1980-2000 – World Values Survey (WVS)
3. ^ Irish Mass attendance below 50% – Catholic World News 1 June 2006
4. ^ "Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review". Studiesirishreview.ie. http://www.studiesirishreview.ie/j/page594. 
5. ^ http://www.dublindiocese.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2293&Itemid=372
6. ^ Irish Times - Fewer than one in five attend Sunday Mass in Dublin (30 May 2011)
7. ^ Final Principal Demographic Results 2006. Central Statistics Office. 2007. pp. 31 (Table Q). ISBN 0-7557-7169-9. http://www.cso.ie/census/documents/Final%20Principal%20Demographic%20Results%202006.pdf. Retrieved 2010-06-20. 
8. ^ "Final Principal Demographic Results 2006" (PDF). 2006. http://www.cso.ie/census/documents/Final%20Principal%20Demographic%20Results%202006.pdf. Retrieved 2009-07-09. 
9. ^ Kuhling, Carmen, "New Age re-enchantment in post-Celtic Tiger Ireland". 201 - 219 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
10. ^ Macourt, Malcolm, "Mapping the 'new religious landscape' and the 'new Irish': uses and limitations of the census". 28 - 50 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
11. ^ Cosgrove, Olivia et al., "Editors' introduction". 1 - 27 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
12. ^ http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/htimes/finnish-papers/16728-religion-to-die-out-in-finland-this-century.html
13. ^ Among many examples:
    John Daniszewski, 17 April 2005, Catholicism Losing Ground in Ireland, LA Times
    Irish poll shows parents no longer want to force religion on to children from secularism.org.uk
    Phil Lawler, 17 September 2007, Ireland threatened by secularism, Pope tells new envoy, Catholic World News
14. ^ Brownlee, Attracta, "Irish travellers and 'powerful priests'. 97 - 110 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
15. ^ Mulholland, Peter, "Marian apparitions, the New Age and the FAS prophet". 53 - 73 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
16. ^ Jackson Noble, Ruth, "The changing face of Irish Christianity". 131 - 146 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011
17. ^ Gierek, Bozena, "Celtic spirituality in contemporary Ireland". 300 - 317 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
18. ^ Scharbrodt, Oliver, "Islam in Ireland". 318 - 336 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
19. ^ Lacey, Jonathan, "Turkish Islam in Ireland". 337 - 356 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
20. ^ Cox, Laurence and Maria Griffin, "The Wild Irish Girl and the 'dalai lama of Little Thibet': the long encounter between Ireland and Asian Buddhism". 53 - 73 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
21. ^ Murphy, John L, "Inventing the concept of Celtic Buddhism". 74 - 96 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
22. ^ Butler, Jenny, "Irish neo-paganism". 111 - 130 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
23. ^ Cusack, Carole, "Celticity in Australian alternative spiritualities". 281 - 299 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
24. ^ Maignant, Catherine, "Irish base, global religion: the Fellowship of Isis". 53 - 73 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
25. ^ Kuhling, Carmen, "New Age re-enchantment in post-Celtic Tiger Ireland". 201 - 219 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
26. ^ O'Connor, Ciara, "Becoming whole". 220 - 239 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
27. ^ Bradby, Ruth, "A course in miracles in Ireland". 147 - 162 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
28. ^ Macourt, Malcolm, "Mapping the 'new religious landscape' and the 'new Irish': uses and limitations of the census." 28 - 51 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4438-2588-7
29. ^ "Eurobarometer on Social Values, Science and technology 2005 - page 11". http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf. Retrieved 2007-05-05.