CSO breaks down religious affinities in the Republic

[odlum833]

Alot of CSO statistics from the census released today...among the more intriguing is religious breakdown



Total numbers for religious groupings in 2011:


Roman Catholic: 3,861,000

Church of Ireland: 129,000

Muslim: 49,200

Orthodox: 45,200

Other christian: 41,299

Presbyterian: 24,600

Apostolic or Pentecostal: 14,000

Other: 81,000

No religion: 269,000

Not stated: 72,900


At this pace there will be more Muslims then Protestants soon enough!


Very little change in the numbers who describe themselves as Catholic. 84% of the population. That's more then in 2006. 2.8% describe themselves as Protestant. Those that identify themselves as belonging to Islam has increased 50% since 2006. There has been an increase of 45% in those saying they have no religion.

Any thoughts?

[nordisk celt83]

Have to say I'm shocked by the religious affiliation figures...

When you consider the lifestyle and moral values of people, it's hard to believe that many people would assoicate themselves with one of the established churches.

P.S
Church Of Ireland make up around 2.8% of the population. Protestant denominations make up almost 6% of the population.

A significant proportion of others are independent Protestant churches. For example, my mother put down Norwegian Lutheran Church: even though she hasn't stepped inside a church in years!!!

[nordisk celt83]

Methodism halved btw; at least some one is seeing sense!!!!

Oh, and 1.8million people speak Irish lol!!!

[Viking74]

Polish nationals have now overtaken UK nationals as the second largest ethnic group in the country at 122,585 persons.

[Catmalojin]

Originally Posted by nordisk celt83

Have to say I'm shocked by the religious affiliation figures...

When you consider the lifestyle and moral values of people, it's hard to believe that many people would assoicate themselves with one of the established churches.

This just makes me think of the following video:



I don't know why they feel the need to collect information on peoples' religions (or lack thereof). It's irrelevant (or ought to be) in a modern, secular, republic.

On the topic of languages, the new question they brought in (regarding what language is spoken at home) has some interesting answers. French is the second most common foreign language spoken at home, with 56,430 speaking it - and of that 37,800 were born in Ireland! German and Russian also had similar results, with a higher number of Irish-born people speaking those languages at home than people born outside of Ireland. We'll need to wait for the more detailed analysis in a few months, but it's certainly interesting.

[Viking74]

I think it's so arrogant to ask 'what is your religion?' in the census form, which assumes that everyone has one despite over 1/4 million people (the second largest group) declaring themselves as having no religion. Interesting results all round.
The change in Irish society over the past 10-15 years really has been dramatic. A good change all round IMO. We were too homogenous and insular for far too long.

[Viking74]

I think the increased numbers declaring themselves as Catholic must be down to immigration from Poland. Love the Poles - They're a very attractive race lol!!

[Catmalojin]

Front page of today's Irish Times has a good article:

Census shows a country changed yet still rooted in tradition

CARL O'BRIEN

Fri, Mar 30, 2012

SO MUCH has changed, yet so much is strikingly familiar.

The census results for 2011 reveal a country of contrasts. Dublin’s commuter belt has grown rapidly and our population is more diverse than ever, but Ireland remains a predominantly Catholic country rooted in tradition, where marriage is enduringly popular and the nuclear family is resilient.

Overall, the census shows the population reached 4.6 million in April 2011, the highest level in 150 years. Population growth has been surprisingly high despite emigration and the economic downturn, driven mainly by an extraordinarily high birth rate with more than 70,000 births per year.

In fact, the natural increase – the number of births minus deaths – is the highest on record for any previous census.

All of this is good long-term news for the future of the country. With fewer dependent older people, Ireland contrasts favourably with other European neighbours that face the prospect of decreasing populations and higher levels of dependants in the years ahead.

It will doubtless pose a headache for the State in providing sufficient health, education and social services. But the long-term benefits are likely to outweigh any short-term challenges.

Most of this new population growth is concentrated in the ever-widening commuter belt outside the capital. Laois had the fastest-growing population of any county (up 20 per cent), more than twice the growth rate for the country as a whole. Other areas of rapid growth included Cavan, Fingal (both 14 per cent), Longford and Meath (both 13 per cent). Leinster now accounts for some 55 per cent of the entire population.

In fact, the population shrank in Limerick city (down 5 per cent) and Cork city (down 0.4 per cent), while only modest growth was recorded in other cities.

The extent to which the country’s development is so heavily tilted towards the greater Dublin area highlights the chasm between rhetoric about balanced regional development and the reality.

The make-up of the Irish population today is starkly different to anything seen in previous reports, with more nationalities, languages and ethnicities than ever before. Ethnic diversity is now an established fact of Irish life rather than a passing trend that will be reversed by the chill winds of the recession.

The number of non-Irish nationals increased by almost a third since the last census in 2006 and now account for 12 per cent, or 544,360 of the population. For the first time, there are more Poles (122,600) than UK nationals (112,300). In fact, the Polish, Romanian and Indian communities doubled in size, while Lithuanian and Latvian ones increased by about 50 per cent.

At a time of such much social change, many expected to see similar changes to the traditional Irish family. With the Catholic Church under pressure as never before, many expected that a younger generation would begin to shun many of the defining characteristics of Irish families. But the marital family still accounts for the vast majority – 70 per cent – of all family units.

Some of the biggest increases in family units were among husbands and wives with children who made up almost half of all families last year.

Some 84 per cent of people declared themselves Roman Catholic, a increase of almost 5 per cent. This return to traditional values was driven mostly by Poles and other Europeans.

Change is knocking on the door, though not as loudly as we might have expected. The number of cohabiting couples increased to 143,000 – an increase of just under 18 per cent – but at a slower rate than in previous years. They account for just 10 per cent of families in Ireland. In many cases, co-habitation is a precursor to marriage, particularly once children come along.

We now know that many of the changes in Irish family life - cohabitation, getting married later in life – aren’t necessarily disrupting the ways of old. Instead, many are simply postponing the more traditional form of family until later in life.

It’s a time of flux which can throw out confusing and sometimes contradictory findings.

“People are waiting longer to marry, set up house and have children, and the sequencing of those transitions is no longer as ordered or closely scheduled as in the past,” according to Dr Jane Gray, head of sociology at NUI Maynooth.

Against this backdrop of tradition, there is also a new-found confidence among those who have barely featured in many previous population counts: same-sex couples.

The number of same-sex cohabitants almost doubled, up from just under 2,100 in 2006 to just over 4,000 in 2011. Back in 1996, the census recorded just 150 same sex couples.

This upbeat snapshot of the country couldn’t come at a better time. There have been many reasons over recent years to fear for the future of the country. The figures that reveal the details of our growing population are much more than simple statistics. They are a powerful sign of the health and vibrancy of a country, and offer a glimpse of rebirth and renewal around the corner.

© 2012 The Irish Times

[thebig C]

Interesting times indeed. Its good to see that despite an upsurge in emmigration that the population is at least still growing. Afterall, we have seen the negative implications that a population decline can have. It had a devastating effect on our economy from the 1920s-1980s.

I must confess that I am surprised that there has not been a drop in the numbers claiming to be Catholic. I guess people see their baptised Religion as something akin to Nationality. Very few make the distinction between a Religion and actually practicing. Was there a question on the Census relating to attendance at Religious ceremonies? That would be interesting!!

FYI, this census was actually the first year that I changed my own status from Catholic to no Religion! However, its perhaps notable that my parents, who haven't attended Mass for approx 10 years still wanted to be listed as Catholic.

I agree with the comments above regarding recent immigration. I too think its been largely positive. It just makes the whole country more interesting. In the long term at bit of "mixing" will have positive effects.

[thebig C]

Originally Posted by Viking74

I think the increased numbers declaring themselves as Catholic must be down to immigration from Poland. Love the Poles - They're a very attractive race lol!!

LOL....totally agree! My last two GFs have been Polski I don't know, there just seems to be a higher proportion of hot girls per capita in Poland:P

Also, the fundamental advantage they have over Irish girls.......the in-laws are 2000km away)))

[thebig C]

Odlum...thanks for posting that info!! Do you know when they are releasing more info?

[odlum833]

Lots here...

http://www.irishtimes.com/indepth/census2011/

[belfastuniguy]

Wonder how many of those 3.8 million Catholics attend church, pray, believe in god or anyway conform to what a Catholic is?

[thebig C]

Originally Posted by belfastuniguy

Wonder how many of those 3.8 million Catholics attend church, pray, believe in god or anyway conform to what a Catholic is?

THAT is the real question. I can't remember wheather the Cencus form actually asked about attendance at Mass etc.

As I stated above, people just list their Religion like a Nationality without actually thinking about it.

[thebig C]

Originally Posted by odlum833

Lots here...

http://www.irishtimes.com/indepth/census2011/

Fair play mate. Thats an interesting read!

[Catmalojin]

Originally Posted by belfastuniguy

Wonder how many of those 3.8 million Catholics attend church, pray, believe in god or anyway conform to what a Catholic is?

I'd say it varies by region and age, with it being lower in urban areas and among younger age groups (especially those in their late teens, twenties and thirties).

A report last year said that mass attendance in Dublin among Catholics was 14%, for instance.

[nordisk celt83]

Originally Posted by thebig C

THAT is the real question. I can't remember wheather the Cencus form actually asked about attendance at Mass etc.

As I stated above, people just list their Religion like a Nationality without actually thinking about it.

The Scottish Census asks are you religious first, and then goes on to ask which church group your associated with.

I know there's controversy around it, but I think the way question is asked makes it more likely for people to tick a religion box!!!

Interesting to see that among the 200,000 or so immigrants from the Phillipines, Poland and Lithuania that over 95% of them describe themselves as Catholic.

Even among Indians in Ireland the majority religion is Catholic, which is bizarre!!!

[nordisk celt83]

The one thing that is questionable about the census though is that it says there are only 11,000 Chinese people in Ireland. Where as Chinese officials estimate the population to be closer to 70,000, almost 2% of the population.

Even at 560,000, it seems like the foreign-national population of Ireland may be underestimated!!!

[odlum833]

lol tbh. There is definitely more then 11,000 Chinese living in Ireland - I don't get that figure. Bizarre.

[thebig C]

Originally Posted by odlum833

lol tbh. There is definitely more then 11,000 Chinese living in Ireland - I don't get that figure. Bizarre.

11k is a gross under-representation. I suspect it may have something to do with the fact that most Chinese are here on temporary student visas. Many, particularly those who are working more hours then stipulated on the visa will be reluctant to fill in any official forms.