The changing religious face of Ireland

[Pat Mustard]

We had a census here last year, and the first tranche of results came out the other day, which can be found here.

With respect to religion the census is finally beginning to reflect what polls and surveys have been showing for years, that over ten percent of the country are openly religious (given the results of the catholic bishop's survey of their flock seven years ago, I'm confident the number of actual catholics* is at about 20% in this country), and now shows 9.8% of the country openly stating they have no religion, with a further 2.5% not saying (which is mostly a case of nones when census figures are checked). That is 1/8 of the country are openly arreligious.

And taking the following graph, we can actually see (from mapping the numbers across from age group to age group with each successive census) that people who claim no religion tend to keep it in later life:


So I'm going to call it here, but I actually think Ireland is getting very close to the tipping point where the increase in arreligion is just going to hit a critical mass and become the dominant position vis a vis religion (if it hasn't done so already). The major political parties are going to have to change their attitude to religion, and sharpish.

*i.e. those catholics who believe in god, the resurrection, the seven sacrements, the right of the bishop of Rome to interfere in all aspects of a person's life, the right of priests to bugger any kids they fancy, regular mass going, &c.

PS Irish looks to be in trouble as well, something I'm less pleased about.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Good news about Irish religiosity. I'm less concerned about Irish - it's been on the track to a dead language for decades. Once those who learned it as kids have died, Gaeilge will become something to study as history, not as language.

Boru

[vorlon13]

Seems like Catholics and Protestants all across Ireland and Northern Ireland might yet coalesce to immolate the heathens in their midst.