The Living Bread Research
Christianity in Ireland: How Many Christians and Churches?
Ireland is home to roughly 5 million people, of whom about 81% identify as Christian, around 4.2 million, according to Census of Ireland (2022). Its Christian population is predominantly Roman Catholic, with the Church of Ireland and other traditions. Counting the exact number of churches is much harder, because no single registry lists every congregation; The Living Bread has mapped 345 churches in Ireland so far from open data, a growing sample rather than a national total.
Which churches are in Ireland?
Christianity in Ireland is predominantly Roman Catholic, with the Church of Ireland and other traditions.
How these numbers are counted
Christian share and population are estimates that differ between sources and years. Here the Christian share is from Census of Ireland (2022) and the population is from Wikidata. National Christian estimates from Pew Research Center, government censuses, and other bodies can each differ by several points, so we cite the source and year rather than presenting a single "true" number.
The church count (345) is The Living Bread's own directory, built from OpenStreetMap. It is a growing sample of mapped congregations, not a claim about the total number of churches in the country, which no single registry reliably measures.
People also ask
How many Christians are in Ireland?
About 81% of the population, roughly 4.2 million people, identify as Christian, according to Census of Ireland (2022). Estimates differ between sources and years, so treat this as a well-sourced approximation.
How many churches are in Ireland?
There is no single authoritative count of every church. The Living Bread has mapped 345 churches in Ireland from OpenStreetMap so far. That is a growing directory sample, not the national total, which is genuinely difficult to measure because congregations open, close, and go unregistered.
What is the population of Ireland?
Approximately 5,149,139 people, per Wikidata's most recent figure. Combined with the Christian share above, that gives an estimate of around 4.2 million Christians.
Where do these numbers come from?
The Christian share is from Census of Ireland (2022); the population is from Wikidata; and the church count is The Living Bread's own directory built on OpenStreetMap. We cite each so you can check them yourself.
Find a church, or explore the faith
Explore the Christian landscape of Ireland, browse its churches, or begin with who Jesus is.
Christianity in IrelandChurches in IrelandWho is Jesus?Sources: Census of Ireland (2022) for the Christian share; Wikidata for population; OpenStreetMap contributors for the church directory. Figures are estimates; see the methodology above.