Religions in the Republic of Ireland (2022 census)
The predominant religion in the Republic of Ireland is Christianity, with the largest denomination being the Roman 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.[1] The next largest group after Catholic was "no religion" at 14%.[1] The Eastern Orthodox Church was Ireland’s second largest Christian denomination, with 2.1% of the population identifying as Orthodox Christians. It has been the country's fastest-growing religion since 1991.[2][3][4] 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.[5] Other significant Protestant denominations are the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, followed by the Methodist Church in Ireland. The country’s Muslim and Hindu populations have experienced significant growth in recent years.
- ^ a b "Census 2022: Number who identify as Catholic falls by 10 percentage points to 69%". thejournal.ie. 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- ^ "Census of Population 2016 – Profile 8 Irish Travellers, Ethnicity and Religion". Central Statistics Office. 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
Orthodox Christians have been the fastest growing religion in Ireland since 1991.
- ^ "Faith Survey | Irish Census (2022)". Faith Survey. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ Final Principal Demographic Results 2006 (PDF). Central Statistics Office. 2007. pp. 31 (Table Q). ISBN 978-0-7557-7169-1. Retrieved 20 June 2010.
- ^ "Census figures show average age rising to 38.8". rte.ie. 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.