Population of the Republic grew by nearly a third in 20 years, study finds
Northern Ireland
grew by 13 per cent, according to a joint study carried out by statisticians.
Between 2002-2022, the population in the Republic increased by 31 per cent and by 13 per cent in Northern Ireland, according to the
Central Statistics Office
(CSO) and Northern Ireland's Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).
In 2022, the population of the island of Ireland stood at 7.1 million people, an increase of 26 per cent, or 1.5 million people, over the 20 years since 2002 – the first time the island's population has exceeded seven million since 1851.
The population of the Republic stands at 5.15 million, accounting for 73 per cent of the all-island population, while the 1.91 million people living in Northern Ireland accounted for 27 per cent of the total.
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However, Northern Ireland's population density is significantly higher than south of the Border, with 141 people living per km², which is almost twice that found in the Republic where just 73 people are found per km².
There are differences, too, in the age profile of both parts of island. Half of the population in the Republic are now younger than 38, and half older, while half in Northern Ireland are younger than 40 – compared to a European Union average of 44.
In Census 2021/2022, just under half of the population aged 15 and over in each jurisdiction (49 per cent) were either married or separated, with close to two-fifths single in the Republic and 39 per cent in Northern Ireland.
However, Northern Ireland has twice the number of people who are divorced, compared to the Republic – 6 per cent compared to 3 per cent, the joint CSO/NISRA survey found.
The number of singles in the Republic has remained relatively stable – 43 per cent in 2002, falling slightly to 42 per cent in 2011, and returning to 43 per cent in 2022. The number jumped in 20 years in Northern Ireland, from 34 per cent in 2001 to 39 per cent in 2021.
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Irish Independent
2 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Funeral of elderly Cork couple found dead at their home hears they were ‘inseparable'
Michael (Noel) O'Sullivan and Anne (Née Ryng) were remembered as people who were deeply grounded in their religion and had a love of all things Irish. The Mass, which took place in the Sacred Heart Church in the village, situated just east of the city boundary, saw friends, family, and neighbours paying their respects to the well-respected couple, with mourners offering their condolences to the family ahead of the ceremony. The couple's coffins lay side by side on the altar, accompanied by a picture of the pair, who have been remembered fondly since their death on Monday. Offerings brought to the altar at the funeral Mass included a crucifix to represent the couple's 'deep Catholic faith', and a photograph of Glounthane village to represent their love of their home place. 'A History of Ireland' by Robert Key was also offered, as a symbol of the couple's love of Irish history, politics, and Gaelic. Ahead of the All-Ireland semi-final tomorrow between Cork and Dublin, the church heard that the couple loved Gaelic Games 'but there was only one game for them, and that was hurling,' as a Cork jersey was brought up. A radio was also presented as the Mass was told 'they loved nothing more than listening to matches, which prompted much debate and discussion.' A reading from the first letter of St John - which focuses on the need for love and God's love for his people - was read out, while hymns were also sung during the mass, which was well attended. 'Ann so often had a phrase she used to repeat, 'thank God we don't know what the future brings', said Fr Aidan Vaughan, 'but God knows, and God is good. 'She was so prepared for the will of God, whatever form it would take, because of her faith in almighty God. 'I notice there's no number on that jersey. I know that it meant so much to them, they were so invested in the traditions and games of Ireland. 'They were inseparable. They were united in life, and they were united in death.' The Mass also remembered the other deceased members of the O'Sullivan and Ryng families and heard about Ann's late brother Eolan, who spent his life as a Capuchin monk, before returning to Cork to be cared for by his sister before his death. 'Ann and Michael are still part of that communion of saints,' said Fr Vaughan, who concluded by saying: 'Thank God we don't know what's coming in the future, but God knows, and God loves us.' "To see two coffins laid out on the altar is a sight we don't see too often in this parish,' said Parish priest Fr Damien O'Mahony, with the former Bishop of Cork and Ross, John Buckley, also in attendance. 'On a personal note, I recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of my ordination. I was doing a tally of the cards, and I came across this card. You might recognise the writing,' said the priest to the congregation. "'Fr Damien, wishing you many more years of faithful service'. When I saw that, I got a lump in my throat, even reading it now. 'We've lost two people of faith, two people who have given so much to their families and the parish faith community as well. 'It was a sad call I got the other day. Sometimes when I get called, I don't know what's ahead of me, but they're together, and that's a nice image of them, together in life, and after life. Fr O'Mahony thanked the families of the deceased for their support and help since the death of the pair, before finishing by saying: 'most of all, we thank Michael and Anne, for being Michael and Anne,' to a standing ovation. Bishop Buckley concluded the Mass and offered his own memories of the couple. Foul play has been ruled out in relation to the deaths of the couple, whose bodies were found at the foot of their stairs at around 5pm on Monday by a relative. They were formally pronounced dead by a local GP. Michael and Anne O'Sullivan were laid to rest together at St Joseph's Cemetery in Little Island.
Irish Times
11 hours ago
- Irish Times
‘I'm so scared': Families left in limbo after being told they need to leave IPAS centres
A number families currently living in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres in Dublin are worried they will have nowhere to live after being informed they need to leave their current accommodation in the coming days. Several families living in IPAS centres in Inchicore Suites, Dublin 8, and the Red Cow Hotel in Clondalkin, Dublin 22, were previously informed that they needed to leave their accommodation by Friday, July 4th. The families in question have been granted asylum status so are free to remain in Ireland but have struggled to find alternative accommodation, despite their efforts in recent months. A number of families received letters in March advising them that, as they have permission to remain in Ireland, IPAS can no longer accommodate them due to the huge demand on their services. READ MORE The letters, seen by The Irish Times, state: 'Owing to the urgent need, we must now ask you to move to independent alternative accommodation in the community on Friday 4th July 2025. This step is required to ensure that there is sufficient space in IPAS accommodation centres to meet our legal obligation of housing those people still in the process of seeking International Protection.' The letter also states that, if people have been unable to secure alternative accommodation by Friday, IPAS 'may provide alternative temporary emergency accommodation'. However, it adds: 'Given the limitations on IPAS accommodation this emergency accommodation is not likely to be in the area you currently reside.' The Irish Times spoke to a number of mothers on Thursday who say they have been left in limbo, unsure of whether or not they will have to move out on Friday – and where they might end up. The mothers are working in the area, and their children are attending local schools. They said that uprooting their families and moving far away would be incredibly difficult, especially on their children. One woman who lives in the IPAS centre in Inchicore said she is very worried about what will happen to her, her husband and three young children. The family has lived in Inchicore for almost two years. The parents are both working, the two older children are in a local school and their youngest child has just secured a place in a local creche. She and her husband have been to several viewings in various locations across Dublin but have been unable to secure a new home. The woman said she and her husband are earning money and are also in receipt of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) so they can afford to rent a house. However, every viewing to date has been unsuccessful. [ People with right to remain in Ireland stuck in direct provision centres due to lack of housing, Hiqa finds Opens in new window ] Despite not having anywhere to go on Friday, she said the family have packed up all their belongings in case they are asked to leave. 'I'm so scared, I'm so confused of what to do and what not to do.' The Irish Times also spoke to four single mothers who are living with their children in the Red Cow IPAS centre in Clondalkin. The mothers, some of whom work in healthcare, said they recently had to give up their jobs in the local area as they were told they will have to leave on Friday. However, they do not know where they are going to go. These women said they received letters on Thursday which were dated June 30th and noted they were previously instructed 'to vacate your accommodation centre' on July 4th. 'IPAS has now commenced this process in date order based on length of time with status. If you still require an offer of alternative temporary emergency accommodation, and have not yet received your letter, we will be in contact with yot in the coming weeks,' the letter states. The families have been advised to contact the homeless charities Depaul or the Peter McVerry Trust 'who can assist with sourcing accommodation in the community'. One woman facing relocation from the Red Cow said: 'We are so stressed. We've not been sleeping, all of us, even the kids.' She noted their children were very upset to tell their school friends they were leaving and might not see them again. One of the mothers has a serious health condition and is very worried she will be moved to a rural area where she cannot access the healthcare she needs. 'I want to know where they are going to take me because I need to find out whether they are hospitals there,' she said. Inchicore For All, a group of local residents who are supporting the families based in both IPAS centres, has written to Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan asking for the relocations to be postponed. The Department of Justice confirmed in a statement that a number of families will be moved from certain centres on Friday, with more relocations happening on a phased basis throughout the summer. During the coming months, IPAS will be 'progressing moves for approximately 600 families with status to remain from IPAS accommodation centre across the country' – this is 2,042 people in total. A spokesperson said the department 'always acknowledges that these moves are difficult, especially given shortages of accommodation across society, but it is essential that IPAS maintains enough accommodation to meet the needs of new applicants (1,000 per month), who have a legal entitlement to IPAS accommodation, do not have immediate access to the labour market, and do not have access to standard housing benefits or standard social welfare entitlements'. The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) found that more than 20 per cent of people living in seven direct provision centres in various locations across Ireland could not move out despite having permission to stay in Ireland due to a shortage of housing.
Irish Times
11 hours ago
- Irish Times
Caw of the wild: Rathlin's ‘penguins' may be puffins, but nature lovers still flock to see its birdlife
First, there is a gasp. 'There he is. Oh my God, he's so cute.' A puffin has been sighted, far up on Rathlin Island's western cliffs. On the viewing platform everyone turns towards it, cameras aloft. Above, the puffin peers out, as if contemplating launching itself from the ledge; the crowd holds its collective breath and snaps away, hoping for the perfect picture before the bird retreats, its distinctive orange feet and bill vanishing into the grass. This is the moment approximately 20,000 people come to see every summer. 'It's a very happy place,' says Geraldine Anslow, manager of the West Light Seabird Centre. 'Nobody doesn't have a good time meeting the puffins.' Six miles off the Co Antrim coast at Ballycastle, and within sight of the Mull of Kintyre and Islay in Scotland , Rathlin is a unique place. Northern Ireland's only inhabited island, it is home to around 140 permanent residents and a multitude of rare animals, birds and plants, not least the many thousands of seabirds that return to breed there every year. READ MORE 'It's an amazing opportunity for us to turn people on to the magic of connecting with the wild world,' says Anslow. 'We have quite a lot of people who arrive and say, 'So, where exactly are the penguins?' and that's fine, 'cos we've got a bird that looks just like a penguin.' Rathlin Island: A guillemot returns to land in a densly packed breeding colony on a sea stack as a great black gull cruises above, looking for an easy snack. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw Packed on to the cliffs are approximately 150,000 guillemots, 22,000 razorbills – one of the largest colonies in Europe – and around 1,500 to 2,000 puffins, as well as kittiwakes and fulmars. Liam McFaul, RSPB warden and Rathlin islander, leads The Irish Times down to the island's famous upside-down lighthouse, which has its light – now automated – at the bottom rather than the top of its tower. The sound is the first thing that greets us, a cacophony of screeching and squawking as parents and chicks cry out to each other, all above the crashing of the waves. Then there is the smell; the sort of sharp, acrid smell created by thousands of birds packed on to every available space. RSPB warden Liam McFaul on Rathlin. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw The drama of life and death is played out; seabirds swarm over the feeding grounds, searching for fish for their young, then swoop back to land to feed them while gulls hover above, waiting to pick off any chicks left unattended. The puffins are the hardest to see. 'They nest in holes in the ground,' explains McFaul, 'so you rarely ever see a puffin chick, or puffling, and when they're ready to go they will creep out in the hours of darkness, scurry down the bank, into the water, and away.' McFaul speaks with the fondness and familiarity of someone who has spent his life around these cliffs and their birds. Born and raised on a farm on the island, 'I would have been fishing in and around the cliffs and watching the birds all the time. The old people would nearly tell you the weather by the activity of the birds. 'The cliffs were our playground. I've seen everything, in every season.' To this day, he sees everything. Driving The Irish Times around the island, he stops repeatedly when something catches his eye, be it a rare lesser butterfly orchid, a bird – 'that's a stonechat there' – or a cave which, during the Neolithic period, yielded stone for axes which were traded as far away as France. Corncrake-friendly fields on Rathlin are cut late in the season, and have grass left in the centre and along the edge for the birds to hide in. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw 'What's that expression? He's forgotten more about Rathlin wildlife than anybody else will ever know,' says Anslow. 'People told me he was actually the first person to identify the golden hare.' McFaul's own eyes light up as he describes the beauty of the hare, which is unique to Rathlin. 'They are absolutely amazing, they're just pure yellow, like a big yellow cat. Hares generally have nice hazel brown eyes, but these guys have bright blue eyes.' [ Islands of calm: six of Ireland's wildest and most beautiful offshore escapes Opens in new window ] The island's big success story is the corncrake. Once common along the north coast, it was facing extinction due to the impact of modern farming practices on its habitat, but extensive conservation efforts brought it back to Rathlin in 2014. 'We've got six calling males here this year.' It is easy to see the corncrake-friendly fields. They are cut late in the season, and with an oasis of grass left in the centre for the birds to hide in, and along the edge; the result of extensive education – and adequate compensation – for farmers. 'The corncrake's one of those species that could slip away out of existence very easily,' says McFaul. 'You have to do your bit.' The uniqueness of Rathlin's wildlife and landscape has also been doing its bit for the island, attracting everyone from walkers to nature enthusiasts to people who simply want to experience an island. [ Life on Rathlin island: 'You either get the island or you don't … It's not an easy place to live' Opens in new window ] 'That means there are staff needed – people come and they want their cup of tea, and all around the island they need places to stay.' McFaul has seen the island change since his own childhood, from the time when 'parents kind of pushed the kids away, saying there's nothing for you here, get a decent education and go off and get a job on the mainland'. Now, he says, 'it's very different. A lot of kids are coming back and moving into family businesses. At this time of year, because tourism has become so busy, there is just enough of a workforce to facilitate it … in a couple of cases, we have people commuting to work here.' Modern technology also means people can work remotely from Rathlin. 'There's a friend of mine writes computer programmes, and he doesn't ever have to leave the island.' One new arrival is 23-year-old Saffran Lockett from Somerset, a summer volunteer at the seabird centre. She used to live in London, and found it was 'living to work rather than working to live. I love it here – it's quiet, wild, and I've found a lot of freedom in it. RSPB volunteer Saffran Lockett, from Somerset. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw 'I can go out on a walk on my own and feel safe and explore, that's not an experience I've had before.' On Rathlin, 'I've found a peace and a calm that I think nowadays are a bit lost.' At the centre, another bus full of visitors has arrived from the harbour; they gather around the whiteboard of 'exciting sightings', which tells them that so far this season, as well the birds, staff have spotted a porpoise, a minke whale, a dolphin pod and a racing pigeon. Guillemots on Rathlin. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw Looking forward to seeing the birds are Michael O'Brien from Doonbeg, Co Clare, with young relatives Sarah and Patricia Trainer from Belfast. 'The other day, we went past the tipping point [for the warming of the Earth], says Sarah. 'You have to appreciate what's still here, while it's still here,' emphasises Patricia. But, says Anslow, Rathlin shows that with 'persistence and people who are there for the long haul, really extraordinary things can happen.' Soon, the birds will depart. The pufflings will waddle into the sea; the baby razorbills and guillemots will jump from the cliffs. 'It's so epic and emotional,' she says. 'We're all saying, good luck guys, take care out there. 'It's special, but it's short window of opportunity,' she warns. 'Anybody who wants to see a puffin, you've got to be here before the end of July.'
