What does the Ireland report establish about holidays and rituals?
For holidays and rituals in Ireland, Rage 2 Rebuild selects “Historical religious influence” from Humanists International’s chapter dated 17 September 2020. It describes national institutions or published conditions, not family reactions, emotions or access to an individual service. Check current facts before acting.
Country chapter updated 17 September 2020 · retrieved September 5, 2026. This chapter is more than two years old. Its assessments are not confirmation of current law or a prediction about your circumstances.
Historical religious influence
The dominant religion has traditionally been Roman Catholicism, and the Catholic Church has influenced the island since the fourth century. Most Irish people remained Catholic despite the reformation in England, and Irish history has been dominated by ethno-religious conflicts between Catholics and Protestants. Resistance to British rule largely came from Catholics (with some notable exceptions). Under British administration, the Catholic majority experienced high levels of discrimination, including restrictions on land ownership, limitations on religious practice, and being barred from political positions. Despite reforms, by the early 20th-century, discrimination was still widespread and was one of the factors fuelling an independence movement dominated by Catholics.
Religious oaths for public office holders
Ireland should amend articles 12, 31 and 34 of the Constitution that require religious oaths to take up senior public office positions, taking into account the Committee’s general comment No. 22 (1993) concerning the right not to be compelled to reveal one’s thoughts or adherence to a religion or belief in public.
Religious influence today
However, while the Catholic Church has lost the control that it used to have over the population, it still retains considerable political influence. This is because many of the laws that were passed while the Church was stronger are still in place. Some of these laws are underpinned by the 1937 constitution, and they would require referendums to amend them. Until recently, successive governments have been unwilling to fundamentally address this issue. Since 2015, three referendums have legalised same-sex marriage, abortion, and blasphemy (see below).
Report extracts and assessment data are reused/adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Humanists International does not endorse Elder X. Original reflection guidance is identified separately below.
Which Ireland findings should I check before acting?
Rage 2 Rebuild highlights 4 published findings for holidays and rituals in Ireland. Our selection connects the 17 September 2020 chapter with public religious traditions, school participation and family rituals. Each quote is separate from our practical question. It identifies something to investigate, not a conclusion about your household.
There is state funding of at least some religious schools
The source finding concerns education or children. National arrangements and the policy of one school are not interchangeable.
A question to verify: What does the named school currently require, what alternative exists, and who is responsible for the decision?
Religious schools have powers to discriminate in admissions or employment
The source finding concerns education or children. National arrangements and the policy of one school are not interchangeable.
A question to verify: What does the named school currently require, what alternative exists, and who is responsible for the decision?
Religious or ideological instruction is mandatory in at least some public schools (without secular or humanist alternatives)
The source finding concerns education or children. National arrangements and the policy of one school are not interchangeable.
A question to verify: What does the named school currently require, what alternative exists, and who is responsible for the decision?
Religious groups control some public or social services
The report describes social or institutional pressure. That context matters, but it cannot predict the response of one family or community.
A question to verify: Who would learn about the decision, and what essential support could change if that happened?
What can I keep or change about religious holidays and rituals?
For holidays and rituals in Ireland, Rage 2 Rebuild suggests this decision: Choose the part of the occasion you want to attend, adapt or decline. The two starting points below address public religious traditions, school participation and family rituals. Check consequential facts with appropriate current help; these are reflection prompts, not a certified procedure.
Name the part that matters to you
Is it a person, a meal, a memory, a story, a place or an act of worship? The answer may suggest a way to preserve connection without requiring an unwanted statement of belief. It can also reveal why a seemingly small request feels consequential.
Discuss participation before the occasion
If appropriate, explain a practical boundary early: what you will attend, what you will not do and whether you want a discussion about it. A brief message can be clearer than trying to negotiate in front of an audience during an emotionally important event.
Read the full general guide for this decision →
Start with your own question →What would help with holidays and rituals?
Rage 2 Rebuild’s Ireland reflection tool offers three starting points for holidays and rituals. Choose a situation to see a practical question and a country finding to check. Your choice stays in page memory; it is not sent, stored as a plan or used to diagnose you. You can clear it or read without answering.
You can use the guide without choosing an option.
How did religious identity change in Ireland?
Rage 2 Rebuild’s Ireland table shows 6.1% religiously unaffiliated in 2010 and 15.6% in 2020, using Pew’s all-age population estimates. The seven categories describe religious identity, not how many individuals left religion or experienced harm. Rounded population changes cannot predict acceptance, guilt, safety or a support outcome.
| Identity | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian | 91.9% | 81.2% | -10.7 pp |
| Muslim | 1.1% | 1.7% | +0.6 pp |
| Religiously unaffiliated | 6.1% | 15.6% | +9.5 pp |
| Buddhist | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0 pp |
| Hindu | 0.2% | 0.7% | +0.5 pp |
| Jewish | Less than 0.1% | Less than 0.1% | Not calculated |
| Other religions | 0.4% | 0.5% | +0.1 pp |
“Other religions” combines traditions that cannot be analyzed separately here. A “less than” input stays an inequality; a change involving it is not calculated. Rounding and demographic processes matter. Nationality does not establish anyone’s beliefs.
Pew’s original Ireland table, PDF page 10 ↗ · Methods and downloadable calculations
What kind of support does Rage 2 Rebuild offer in Ireland?
Rage 2 Rebuild offers non-urgent personal conversation about holidays and rituals in Ireland. There is no payment to send a message and no guaranteed response time. This is remote contact with Elder X, not therapy, legal advice, emergency help or a verified local referral. Choose qualified support when the decision requires it.
For consequential questions involving law, safety, children, health or institutional records, seek the appropriate qualified source and ask about privacy before sharing identifying details. For general stress skills, the World Health Organization’s Doing What Matters guide is an external educational resource; it is not a study of people using this site or proof of a particular recovery result.
What else should I know about holidays and rituals in Ireland?
Rage 2 Rebuild’s six answers about holidays and rituals in Ireland address public religious traditions, school participation and family rituals. The 17 September 2020 chapter’s “Historical religious influence” passage provides country background. Use these questions to distinguish your next decision, that source’s limits, religious-identity figures and remote contact.
What can I keep or change about religious holidays and rituals in Ireland?
Rage 2 Rebuild’s starting point for holidays and rituals in Ireland is: Choose the part of the occasion you want to attend, adapt or decline. Separate public religious traditions, school participation and family rituals before choosing an action. The country report provides dated context; it does not settle the personal choice. If essential needs or legal consequences are involved, verify the actual situation with appropriate current help.
What does the country report establish about holidays and rituals in Ireland?
Rage 2 Rebuild uses “Historical religious influence” in Humanists International’s Ireland chapter, updated 17 September 2020, to identify a relevant institutional question. The report flags “There is state funding of at least some religious schools.” That is dated country context, not a finding about family reactions, emotions or access to an individual service. Check the original passage and current facts before applying it.
Is attending a cultural celebration dishonest if I no longer believe?
Consider what your participation communicates and what the activity asks of you. Cultural connection, family presence and an explicit profession of belief are not always the same act. Rage 2 Rebuild’s Ireland guide addresses public religious traditions, school participation and family rituals; the dated country findings provide context for that distinction, not a prediction about your circumstances.
Does this page list current official holidays?
No. It discusses participation decisions. Check the current official or institutional calendar for dates, closures and any rules that apply to a particular activity. Rage 2 Rebuild’s Ireland guide addresses public religious traditions, school participation and family rituals; the dated country findings provide context for that distinction, not a prediction about your circumstances.
What do the religious-identity figures for Ireland establish?
Rage 2 Rebuild’s Ireland table shows 6.1% religiously unaffiliated in 2010 and 15.6% in 2020, using Pew’s all-age population estimates. The seven categories describe religious identity, not how many individuals left religion or experienced harm. Rounded population changes cannot predict acceptance, guilt, safety or a support outcome.
Does Rage 2 Rebuild provide local or emergency support in Ireland?
Rage 2 Rebuild offers remote, non-urgent personal conversation about holidays and rituals. No local office, clinician or verified referral network in Ireland is claimed. There is no payment to send a message and no guaranteed reply time. For immediate danger, use appropriate emergency help where you are rather than this form.