Irreligion in Ireland pertains to the population of Ireland that are atheist, agnostic, or otherwise unaffiliated with any religion. The 2022 census recorded that 14% of the population was irreligious; the second largest category after Roman Catholicism. [1] The population was traditionally devoutly Catholic throughout much of Ireland's modern history, [2] with a peak of 94.9% identifying as Catholic in the 1961 census. This percentage has declined to 69% in the 2022 census, the lowest recorded. Conversely, those with no religion made up less than 0.1% of the population in 1961; [3] the proportion grew slowly until the 1991 census where it began to rapidly increase [4] to its current share of 14% of the population in 2022.
Church attendance has also rapidly declined in Ireland. [5] A study by the World Inequality Database (WID) of Irish political and social attitude surveys found that the share of Irish adults who attended church regularly (monthly or more) declined from 80% in the 1990s to 28% in 2020. [6] [7]
In 2012, Ireland ranked in the Top 10 Atheist Populations in a survey which questioned 50,000 people from 57 countries. [8] [9] [10] As of 2018, Ireland was ranked 115th by the International Humanist and Ethical Union in a list of best countries to live in as an atheist. [11]
Since its adoption in 1937, the Constitution of Ireland guarantees the right to freedom of religion and freedom of conscience. Article 44 guarantees that the State will not endow or favour any religion and that it will not discriminate on the grounds of religious profession, belief or status. [12]
The aforementioned rights were also enumerated in Article 8 of the Constitution of the Irish Free State which was adopted in 1922. [13] The constitution was subsequently replaced by the current constitution in 1937 following a referendum.
Prior to the 2002 census, those who were atheist, agnostic or had no religion simply wrote their non-religious beliefs in a box provided for religion. In 2002, the format changed to the question "What is your religion?" with a list of tick box options, a box for writing in any religion not listed, and a final tick box for "No Religion". [14] The religions which had a tick box changed based on the most popular response from the previous census. The chairman of Atheist Ireland, Michael Nugent, and the director of the Humanist Association of Ireland, Terry Flynn, argued that "What is your religion?" is a leading question which presumes a person must have a religion. They further pointed out that the "No Religion" tick box was listed last despite being the second most popular category. [15] [16] Following consultation with the Central Statistics Office, the 2022 census religion question was changed to "What is your religion, if any?" and the "No religion" tick box was listed first. [17]
The summary results of the 2022 census were released in May 2023 and indicated that 736,210 people, representing 14% of the usually resident population, had no religion. [18] This was an increase of 63% since the 2016 census and 187% since the 2011 census. [19] Additionally, 942 people identified as "Atheist" and 2,881 as "Agnostic" in the write-in box. [20] There was a decrease in the number of people as well as the proportion of the population who identified as Roman Catholic from 79% in 2016 to 69% in 2022. [21] A more detailed report of census data relating to religion was published by the Central Statistics Office in October 2023. [22] It showed that the number of people with no religion increased across all age cohorts. [23] Among pre-school aged children (0 to 4 years) 16% had no religion and 11% of those in the 5 to 9 age cohort had no religion. The 25-29 age cohort had the highest proportion of people with no religion at 26%. [24]
The 2016 census found that approximately 451,941 people or 10.1% of the population were either atheist, agnostic or had no religion, [25] an increase from approximately 6% as of the 2011 census. [26] [27] The age distribution for those with no religion had an initial low of 4.5% for 12 year olds which rose to a peak of 18.5% for 26 year olds before declining for higher ages down to a final low of 1.1% for those aged 85+. [28] Those with no religion were disproportionally represented in the 20-39 age bracket. Despite containing only 28% of the general population, up to 45% of those with no religion fell into the 20-39 age bracket. [29] [30] Those with no religion made up 17.2% of those aged 20-24; 17.6% of those aged 25-29; 15.6% of those aged 30-34; and 13.7% of those aged 35-39. [31]
The number of irreligious students across all levels of education (namely primary, secondary and third level) increased between the 2011 and 2016 censuses. Third level students were the most irreligious at 21.9% (up from 13.8%); followed by second level students at 7.9% (up from 4.2%) and primary school students at 5.6% (up from 2.9%). [32]
According to a 2012 WIN-Gallup International poll, Ireland had the second highest decline in religiosity from 69% in 2005 to 47% in 2012, while those who considered themselves not a religious person increased from 25% in 2005 to 44% in 2012. The poll also showed that 10% of Ireland now consider themselves convinced atheists, which is a vast increase from 2005. [33] This number is thought to be higher due to citizens describing themselves as "cultural Catholics". [34]
A 2017 Pew Research Center survey found that 15% of the Irish adult population say they are atheist, agnostic or have no particular religion. [35]
Year(s) | No religion |
---|---|
1973-77 | 1% |
1981-89 | 3% |
1992-97 | 4% |
2002-07 | 20% |
2011-16 | 28% |
2020 | 27% |
A 2021 WID report, based on public opinion surveys by Eurobarometer and the European Social Survey (ESS) between 1973 and 2016, found an increasing proportion of the Irish population had no religion. [36]
The report also included data for 2020 based on survey of an online panel carried out by University College Dublin in cooperation with Ireland Thinks on the day of the 2020 Irish general election which found that 27% of those surveyed had no religion. [37]
According to a work by Andrew Greeley in 2003, [38] 5% of those in Ireland did not believe in God, while only 2% accepted the self-identification of "atheist". According to British sociologist Grace Davie, as of 1999, 4% of the Irish did not then believe in God. [39] [40]
A 2010 Bishops Conference survey found that 10.1% of Irish Roman Catholics did not believe in God. [41]
A 2023 survey by Amárach Research, of 1,500 adults throughout Ireland, found that 52% of men and 58% of women said they believed in God. [5]
In a 2009 Gallup Poll, 46% of adults surveyed in Ireland answered "No" to the question: "Is religion an important part of your daily life?" [42]
A 2013 VitalSigns study by the Community Foundation for Ireland asked Irish respondents to rank a list of 119 areas of society in order of importance. "Religion and spirituality" ranked as the least important thing in Irish people's lives and "[t]he quality of the education system" was the most important. [43] [44]
The Humanist Association of Ireland (HAI) and Irish Freethinkers and Humanists represent the non-religious in Ireland, as well as specifically those who identify as humanists. The HAI received the ability to conduct legal marriages in 2012. In 2022, the HAI conducted 9.3% of marriages in Ireland. A further 26.2% of marriages in 2022 were non-religious civil marriages. [45]
Atheist Ireland is a group representing atheists in Ireland. It has advocated for a repeal of blasphemy laws, non-denominational schools, an end to discrimination against atheists and secular charities. [46]
Irreligion is the absence or rejection of religious beliefs or practices. It encompasses a wide range of viewpoints drawn from various philosophical and intellectual perspectives, including atheism, agnosticism, skepticism, rationalism, and secularism. These perspectives can vary, with individuals who identify as irreligious holding a diverse array of specific beliefs about religion or its role in their lives.
As of the year 2023, Christianity had approximately 2.4 billion adherents and is the largest religion by population. According to a PEW estimation in 2020, Christians made up to 2.38 billion of the worldwide population of about 8 billion people. It represents nearly one-third of the world's population and is the largest religion in the world, with the three largest groups of Christians being the Catholic Church, Protestantism, and the Eastern Orthodox Church. The largest Christian denomination is the Catholic Church, with 1.3 billion baptized members. The second largest Christian branch is either Protestantism, or the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Religion has been a major influence on the societies, cultures, traditions, philosophies, artistic expressions and laws within present-day Europe. The largest religion in Europe is Christianity. However, irreligion and practical secularisation are also prominent in some countries. In Southeastern Europe, three countries have Muslim majorities, with Christianity being the second-largest religion in those countries. Ancient European religions included veneration for deities such as Zeus. Modern revival movements of these religions include Heathenism, Rodnovery, Romuva, Druidry, Wicca, and others. Smaller religions include Indian religions, Judaism, and some East Asian religions, which are found in their largest groups in Britain, France, and Kalmykia.
Accurate demographics of atheism are difficult to obtain since conceptions of atheism vary considerably across different cultures and languages, ranging from an active concept to being unimportant or not developed. Also in some countries and regions atheism carries a strong stigma, making it harder to count atheists in these countries. In global studies, the number of people without a religion is usually higher than the number of people without a belief in a deity and the number of people who agree with statements on lacking a belief in a deity is usually higher than the number of people who self-identify as "atheists".
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.
Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Atheism is contrasted with theism, which in its most general form is the belief that at least one deity exists.
Atheism, agnosticism, scepticism, freethought, secular humanism or general irreligion are increasing in Australia. Post-war Australia has become a highly secularised country. Religion does not play a major role in the lives of much of the population.
According to sociologists as of 2022, "the proportion of atheists in the US has held steady at 3% to 4% for more than 80 years." According to the Pew Research Center in a 2014 survey, self-identified atheists make up 3.1% of the US population, even though 9% of Americans agreed with the statement "Do not believe in God" while 2% agreed with the statement "Do not know if they believe in God". Other polling by Gallup in 2022 showed that 17% of respondents replied "No" when asked "Do you believe in God?", and another from 2023 found that 12% of respondents replied they "Do not believe in" God with 14% replying they were "Not sure about" the existence of God. Regardless of question or polling service, there is evidence the number of people not believing in God is increasing.
Atheism and agnosticism have a long history in India and flourish within the Śramaṇa movement. Indian religions like Jainism, Hinduism and Buddhism consider atheism to be acceptable. Doubt has been ingrained even in Indian spiritual culture. India has produced some notable atheist politicians and social reformers. Around 0.7 million people in India did not state their religion in the 2001 census and were counted in the "religion not stated" category. They were 0.06% of India's population. Their number has significantly increased four times, from 0.7 million in the 2001 census to 2.9 million in the 2011 census at an average annual rate of 15%. According to the 2012 WIN-Gallup Global Index of Religion and Atheism report, 81% of Indians were religious, 13% were non-religious, 3% were convinced atheists, and 3% were unsure or did not respond, while a demographic study by Cambridge University Press in 2004 found that around 2-6% of Indians identified as atheists or irreligious.
Estonia, historically a Lutheran Christian nation, is today one of the least religious countries in the world in terms of declared attitudes, with only 14 percent of the population declaring religion to be an important part of their daily life. This is thought to largely be a result of the Soviet occupation of Estonia in 1940, prior to which Estonia had a large Christian majority.
Pakistanis are the citizens and nationals of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. According to the 2017 Pakistani census, the population of Pakistan stood at over 213 million people, making it the world's fifth-most populous country. The majority of Pakistanis natively speak languages belonging to the Indo-Iranic family.
The 2011 census of Ireland was held on Sunday, 10 April 2011. It was administered by the Central Statistics Office of Ireland and found the population to be 4,588,252 people. Before the census, the latest population estimate was published in September 2010 and calculated that the Irish population had been 4,470,700 in April 2010. The previous census took place five years earlier, on Sunday, 23 April 2006. The subsequent census took place five years later, on 24 April 2016.
Irreligion is present among a minority of mainly young people in Pakistan. Atheists in Pakistan face discrimination, persecution, and prejudice in society. Pakistan is reported by some sources to be among the thirteen countries where atheism can attract capital punishment, but according to the Library of Congress of the United States, "there is no specific statutory law that criminalizes apostasy in Pakistan." On the other hand, the Pakistani government can impose the death penalty for blasphemy.
Irreligion in Estonia pertains to atheism, agnosticism, and secularism of the people and institutions of Estonia. Irreligion is prominent in Estonia, where a majority of citizens are unaffiliated with any religion. Estonian irreligion dates back to the 19th century, when Estonian nationalists and intellectuals deemed Christianity a foreign religion in opposition to Estonian independence. Irreligion in Estonia was later accelerated by the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states, in which state atheism was enforced. By some metrics, Estonia is the most irreligious country in the world.
China has the world's largest irreligious population, and the Chinese government and the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are officially atheist and have conducted antireligious campaigns throughout their rule. Religious freedom is nominally protected under the Chinese constitution. Among the general Chinese population, there are a wide variety of religious practices. The Chinese government's attitude to religion is one of skepticism and non-promotion.
Irreligion in Azerbaijan is open to interpretation according to differing censuses and polls. Although Shia Islam is the predominant faith in Azerbaijan, religious affiliation is nominal in Azerbaijan and percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower. It is difficult to quantify the number of atheists or agnostics in Azerbaijan as they are not officially counted in the census of the country.
Irreligion in Latin America refers to various types of irreligion, including atheism, agnosticism, deism, secular humanism, secularism and non-religious. According to a Pew Research Center survey from 2014, 8% of the population is not affiliated with a religion. According to Latinobarómetro, the share of irreligious people in Latin America quadrupled between 1996 and 2020, from 4% to 16%.
Irreligion in Romania is rare. Romania is one of the most religious countries in Europe, with 92% of people saying that they believe in God. Levels of Irreligion are much lower than in most other European countries and are among the lowest in the world. At the 2011 census, only 0.11% of the population declared itself atheist, up from the 2002 census, while 0.10% do not belong to any religion. While still one of the most religious countries in Europe, practicing, church and mass attendance is quite low, even compared to some less religious countries than Romania. It is mainly practiced by elderly people, mainly in rural areas, while in urban areas church attendance and practice is much lower. As of 2021, almost 85% are declared religious, of which about 73% are declared orthodox, 12% other religions, about 1% atheists or irreligious and about 14% declared nothing about religion.
The 2016 census of Ireland was held in 2016. It was organised by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and reported a total population of 4,761,865, or a 3.8% increase since the prior 2011 census. This was the lowest recorded population growth rate since the 1991 census, with the decline in population growth rates attributed to both lower birth rates and lower net migration. The census results were released gradually between April and December 2017 in a series of reports organised either as summaries or in-depth results of specific themes, like age, ethnicity, or religion.
the share of [Irish] voters attending church monthly or more declined from 80 percent in the 1990s to 28 percent by 2020
The report also states that there has been a much smaller drop in regular church attendance (monthly or more), which has fallen from 33% to 28%
This was an increase of 63% since the 2016 census, and of 187% since the 2011 census.
The number of people with no religion increased across all age cohorts.
persons [who] stated that they had no religion (including atheists/agnostics) [..] were the second largest category and made up 10.1% of the population, compared with 6.0% five years previously
up from 5.9 per in 2011 [..] making 'No Religion' the second largest group in 2016
The mirror reverse of this pattern can be largely seen for those indicating no religion, with an initial low of 4.5 per cent for 12 years olds, rising to a peak of 18.5 per cent for those aged 26 before declining as the population ages.
The age group 20-39 accounts for 28 per cent of the general population but 45 per cent of those with 'no religion' fall into this age bracket.
Up to 45pc who class themselves as having no religion are in the 20-39 age bracket.
Figure 4.3 illustrates the proportional breakdown of the population by broad religion and age group in 2011 and 2016.
Figure 8.3 Proportion of students by education level with no religion, 2011-2016
The unaffiliated portion of the adult population ranges from as high as 48% in the Netherlands to 15% in Ireland, Italy and Portugal.