Ireland Is Post-Catholic, But Religion Still Matters

While the Irish religious landscape is “post-Catholic,” religion still matters on both sides of the border. Declining religious influence is explained through the lens of the church abuse crisis, while also considering factors like economic growth, increased religious pluralism, societal liberalization, and the end of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The latter remains less secularized than the Republic of Ireland, as confirmed by higher levels of religiosity and closer church–government relations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though relations within Northern Ireland and between the Irish and British governments have been strained since the Brexit referendum, religion is no longer a barrier to Irish unification.