List of settlements on the island of Ireland by population

Last updated

This is a list of the 60 largest towns and cities on the island of Ireland by population. It therefore includes towns and cities in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The population figures listed are for the urban area around each settlement excluding areas that fall within the boundary of another town or city. The figures for settlements in Northern Ireland are based on the preliminary 2021 Northern Ireland Census, [1] while the figures for the Republic are based on the 2022 Census. [2] Settlements in bold have city status.

RankSettlementPopulationProvinceCountyJurisdictionDescription
1 Dublin 592,713 Leinster County Dublin Republic Capital city of the Republic of Ireland. Largest settlement on the island since the Middle Ages, except for a brief period around 1900. The Greater Dublin Area has a population of 2,082,605.
2 Belfast 293,298 Ulster County Antrim, County Down Northern Capital of Northern Ireland and largest city in all of Ulster. Home to Northern Ireland's devolved government and power-sharing assembly. Belfast received city status in 1888. Briefly Ireland's most populous city around 1900.
3 Cork 222,333 Munster County Cork RepublicLargest city in the province of Munster in the south of Ireland. Cork is one of Ireland's oldest cities, having received city status in the 900s.
4 Limerick 102,287Munster County Limerick , County Clare RepublicPrincipal city of Ireland's Mid-West Region and second-largest city in Munster
5 Galway 85,910 Connacht County Galway RepublicLargest city in the province of Connacht
6 Derry 85,279Ulster County Londonderry NorthernSecond largest city in Ulster
7 Newtownabbey 67,599Ulster County Antrim NorthernPart of the Belfast Metropolitan Area. It was founded in 1958 to encompass many adjacent villages just outside Belfast.
8 Bangor 64,596Ulster County Down NorthernGranted city status in 2022. Though a city in its own right, it is also part of the wider Belfast Metropolitan Area.
9 Waterford 60,079Munster County Waterford, County Kilkenny RepublicThird-largest in the province of Munster. It is the island of Ireland's oldest surviving city, having been founded by Vikings in the 9th century AD.
10 Lisburn 51,447Ulster County Antrim, County Down NorthernGranted city status in 2002. The city lies on the border between County Antrim and County Down, Ulster's two most populated counties. Though a city in its own right, it is also part of the wider Belfast Metropolitan Area.
11 Drogheda 44,135Leinster County Louth, County Meath RepublicLargest town in the Republic of Ireland, located in County Louth with its southern environs located in County Meath
12 Dundalk 43,112Leinster County Louth RepublicCounty town of County Louth
13 Swords 40,776Leinster County Dublin,

Fingal

RepublicNorth Dublin suburban town and second-largest settlement in County Dublin after the city itself. Forms part of the Greater Dublin Area. Lies both in the traditional County Dublin and since 1994, Fingal County.
14 Navan 33,886Leinster County Meath RepublicCounty town and largest settlement in County Meath.
15 Bray 33,512Leinster County Wicklow, County Dublin [3] RepublicMost populous town in County Wicklow. An extremely small portion of the town is in County Dublin. Bray is considered part of the Greater Dublin Area.
16 Ballymena 31,119Ulster County Antrim Northern
17 Newtownards 29,637Ulster County Down Northern
18 Lurgan 28,634Ulster County Armagh NorthernLargest settlement in County Armagh.
19 Carrickfergus 27,998Ulster County Antrim NorthernThough a town in its own right, it is also part of the wider Belfast Metropolitan Area.
20 Ennis 27,923Munster County Clare RepublicCounty town and largest settlement in County Clare. Largest town in Munster.
21 Newry 27,913Ulster County Down, County Armagh NorthernGranted city status in 2002, it is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest city
22 Carlow 27,351Leinster County Carlow RepublicCounty town and largest settlement in County Carlow.
23 Kilkenny 27,184Leinster County Kilkenny RepublicCounty town and largest settlement in County Kilkenny, granted city status in 1609
24 Naas 26,180Leinster County Kildare RepublicCounty town and largest settlement in County Kildare.
25 Tralee 26,079Munster County Kerry RepublicCounty town and largest settlement in County Kerry.
26 Antrim 25,607Ulster County Antrim NorthernCounty town of Country Antrim.
27 Coleraine 24,479Ulster County Londonderry Northern
28 Newbridge 24,366Leinster County Kildare RepublicSecond largest town in County Kildare.
29 Balbriggan 24,322Leinster County Dublin RepublicForms part of the Greater Dublin Area.
30 Portlaoise 23,494Leinster County Laois RepublicCounty town and largest settlement in County Laois.
31 Athlone 22,869Leinster County Westmeath RepublicLargest settlement in County Westmeath.
32 Mullingar 22,667Leinster County Westmeath RepublicCounty town of County Westmeath.
33 Letterkenny 22,549Ulster County Donegal RepublicLargest settlement in County Donegal
34 Greystones-Delgany 22,009Leinster County Wicklow Republic
35 Wexford 21,524Leinster County Wexford RepublicCounty town and largest settlement in County Wexford.
36 Portadown 21,097Ulster County Armagh Northern
37 Sligo 20,608Connacht County Sligo RepublicCounty town of County Sligo, second largest settlement in Connacht and largest town in Connacht
37 Celbridge 20,601Leinster County Kildare Republic
39 Omagh 20,458Ulster County Tyrone NorthernCounty town and largest settlement in County Tyrone.
40 Larne 18,856Ulster County Antrim Northern
41 Malahide 18,608Leinster County Dublin ,

Fingal

RepublicForms part of the Greater Dublin Area. Households in Malahide have the highest median incomes in Ireland. [4]
42 Clonmel 18,369Munster County Tipperary RepublicLargest settlement in County Tipperary
43 Carrigaline 18,239Munster County Cork RepublicForms part of Metropolitan Cork.
44 Banbridge 17,403Ulster County Down Northern
45 Maynooth 17,259Leinster County Kildare Republic
46 Leixlip 16,773Leinster County Kildare Republic
47 Armagh 16,308Ulster County Armagh NorthernCounty town of County Armagh and ecclesiastical capital of Ireland.
48 Dungannon 16,282Ulster County Tyrone Northern
49 Ashbourne 15,680Leinster County Meath Republic
50 Laytown–Bettystown–Mornington–Donacarney 15,642Leinster County Meath Republic
51 Tullamore 15,598Leinster County Offaly RepublicCounty town and largest settlement in County Offaly
52 Killarney 14,412Munster County Kerry Republic
53 Cobh 14,148Munster County Cork Republic
54 Enniskillen 14,082Ulster County Fermanagh NorthernCounty town and largest settlement in County Fermanagh
55 Midleton 13,906Munster County Cork Republic
56 Strabane 13,506Ulster County Tyrone Northern
57 Mallow 13,456Munster County Cork Republic
58 Arklow 13,399Leinster County Wicklow Republic
59 Castlebar 13,054Connacht County Mayo RepublicCounty town and largest settlement in County Mayo
60 Wicklow 12,957Leinster County Wicklow RepublicCounty town of County Wicklow

See also

References

  1. "Census 2021" (PDF). Nisra.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  2. "Census 2022 - F1015 Population". Central Statistics Office Census 2022 Reports. Central Statistics Office Ireland. August 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  3. "Bray: Gateway to Wicklow | Wicklow.ie". www.wicklow.ie. Retrieved 2021-10-22.
  4. Gleeson, Colin. "Households in Malahide enjoy highest incomes in State". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2021-12-29.