Catholic Church in Ireland

Catholic Church in Ireland
Irish: An Eaglais Chaitliceach in Éirinn
Type	National polity
Classification	Catholic
Orientation	Latin
Scripture	Bible
Theology	Catholic theology
Governance	Episcopal
Pope	Francis
Primate of All Ireland	Eamon Martin
Primate of Ireland	Dermot Farrell
Apostolic Nuncio	Luis Mariano Montemayor[1]
Region	Ireland
Language	Irish (historically), English, Latin (liturgical)
Headquarters	Ara Coeli, Armagh, Northern Ireland
Founder	St. Patrick
Origin	Claims continuity with Celtic Christianity c. 430. Roman diocesan structure introduced c. 1111 at Synod of Ráth Breasail. Gaelic Ireland
Separations	Church of Ireland (1536)
Members	3,515,861 (2022)
Official website	Irish Bishops' Conference

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Celtic Christianity
History Christianity in Roman Britain Christianity in Ireland Catholic Church in Ireland Early Christian Ireland Christianity in Scotland Christianity in Medieval Scotland Hiberno-Scottish mission Christianity in Wales "Age of Saints" Synod of Brefi Synod of Chester Synod of Victory Christianity in Cornwall Neo-Celtic Christianity
Features Bell shrine Celtic chant Celtic Cross Celtic mass Celtic Rite Clas Culdees Insular art Insular illumination Insular monasticism Papar Plygain Sculptured stones
Saints and leaders Cornish saints Irish saints Welsh saints Twelve Apostles of Ireland Seven Founder Saints of Brittany Alban Brendan Brigit of Kildare Cadoc Columba Columbanus Cuthbert David Dubricius Finnian of Movilla Gwynllyw Illtud Julius and Aaron Kentigern Malo Ninian Oudoceus Patrick Samson of Dol Teilo Tewdrig
Portal Christianity
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The Catholic Church in Ireland (Irish: An Eaglais Chaitliceach in Éireann, Ulster Scots: Catholic Kirk in Airlann) or Irish Catholic Church, is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in communion with the Holy See. With 3.5 million members (in the Republic of Ireland), it is the largest Christian church in Ireland. In the Republic of Ireland's 2022 census, 69% of the population identified as Roman Catholic.^[2] By contrast, 41% of people in Northern Ireland identified as Catholic at the 2011 census; it is expected that this proportion will increase in the coming years.^[3] The Archbishop of Armagh, as the Primate of All Ireland, has ceremonial precedence in the church. The church is administered on an all-Ireland basis. The Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference is a consultative body for ordinaries in Ireland.

Christianity has existed in Ireland since the 5th century and arrived from Roman Britain (most famously associated with Saint Patrick), forming what is today known as Gaelic Christianity. It gradually gained ground and replaced the old pagan traditions. The Catholic Church in Ireland cites its origin to this period and considers Palladius as the first bishop sent to the Gaels by Pope Celestine I. However, during the 12th century a stricter uniformity in the Western Church was enforced, with the diocesan structure introduced with the Synod of Ráth Breasail in 1111 and culminating with the Gregorian Reform which coincided with the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland.

After the Tudor conquest of Ireland, the English Crown attempted to import the Protestant Reformation into Ireland. The Catholic Church was outlawed and adherents endured oppression and severe legal penalties for refusing to conform to the religion established by law — the Church of Ireland. By the 16th century, Irish national identity coalesced around Irish Catholicism. For several centuries, the Irish Catholic majority were suppressed. In the 19th century, the church and the British Empire came to a rapprochement. Funding for Maynooth College was agreed as was Catholic emancipation to ward off revolutionary republicanism. Following the Easter Rising of 1916 and the creation of the Irish Free State, the church gained significant social and political influence. During the late 20th century, a number of sexual abuse scandals involving clerics emerged.