Discover
The identity of the nation
Ireland is a green island at the far northwest of Europe, with about 5.1 million people and its capital in Dublin. For centuries it was known as the “island of saints and scholars”: monks trained in its monasteries went out and re-evangelized much of the European continent after the fall of Rome. Few nations so small have carried such weight in the history of the Christian faith.
For more than a thousand years, Irish identity was intertwined with Catholicism. The faith sustained the people through invasions, long English rule, the Great Famine and mass emigration. Even today the majority identify as Christian, and milestones like Saint Patrick’s Day are celebrated around the world because of the Irish diaspora.
In recent decades, however, Ireland has undergone a rapid shift. The share of Catholics fell from nearly 79% in 2016 to 69% in 2022, while those declaring no religion jumped to 14%, more common among the young. Regular practice has plummeted, and scandals within the institutional church have deepened the drift away. The country that once sent missionaries to the world has become, in a single generation, one of the most secularized in Europe.
Evangelical Christians are a very small minority, though a growing one, strengthened in part by the arrival of immigrants. Christian heritage is everywhere, in names, churches and traditions, but for many it has become culture, not living faith. There is a generation that has grown up with no connection to the gospel at all.
Ireland today is prosperous, young and open to the world, but spiritually poor. The challenge is not to bring a new religion to a people who never heard of it, but to present Jesus afresh, in a living way, to a nation that once knew him well and has since turned away.
- Celtic peoples settle the island, with their own language, laws and mythology.
- 432 Traditionally linked to the mission of Saint Patrick; Christianity spreads and monasteries flourish.
- 6th-9th c. Monastic golden age: production of the Book of Kells and the sending of monks who re-evangelize Europe.
- 795 Viking raids begin, founding settlements such as Dublin.
- 1169 The Normans arrive; long English rule over Ireland begins.
- 1845 The Great Famine kills about a million people and triggers mass emigration.
- 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin, a landmark in the struggle for independence.
- 1922 The Irish Free State emerges; six northern counties remain in the United Kingdom.
- 1973 Ireland joins the European Economic Community, the seed of future prosperity.
- Today A prosperous, young nation with deep Christian heritage, undergoing rapid drift away from religion.
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Englisheveryday language, spoken by nearly the entire population
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Irish (Gaelic)first official language, taught in schools and alive in the Gaeltacht regions of the west
Ireland occupies most of an island in the North Atlantic, separated from Great Britain by the Irish Sea. It has central lowlands ringed by coastal mountains, vast green fields, lakes and a jagged coastline. Its highest point is Carrauntoohil, at 1,039 meters. The landscape's famous green comes from frequent rain and the mild climate brought in by the Atlantic.
Major cities
- DublinCapital and largest city, political, cultural and technological hub
- CorkSecond largest city, in the south, a port and university center
- GalwayWestern city, vibrant and closely tied to Gaelic culture
- LimerickHistoric city on the banks of the River Shannon
- WaterfordThe country's oldest city, founded by the Vikings
Climate and temperature
Irish stew
Slow-cooked lamb with potato, carrot and onion, the national dish.
Colcannon
Mashed potato with kale or cabbage and butter, common in autumn.
Boxty
Potato pancake typical of the north and west, made with grated and mashed potato.
Soda bread
Rustic bread made with baking soda and buttermilk, a staple of the Irish table.
Irish breakfast
Hearty meal with eggs, bacon, sausage, beans and pudding.
Fish and chips
A classic of coastal towns, inherited from the British Isles.
Understand
Culture and spirituality
2a · The culture
Warm hospitality
The Irish welcome easily, converse readily and value good humor.
The pub as town square
The local pub is a gathering place for live music and community life, not just drink.
Music and storytelling
Oral tradition, poetry and folk music are part of the soul of the people.
Attachment to land and family
Ties to one's home place and to ancestors run deep.
Christian heritage
Churches, festivals and names carry a thousand years of Christianity, today more cultural than practiced.
Pride in the Irish language
Even while speaking English, there is pride in Irish as a mark of identity.
- Confusing Ireland with the United Kingdom Irish independence and identity are a matter of pride; the topic is sensitive.
- Treating faith lightly Even secularized, many carry fond memories of their family's Catholicism.
- Reducing the country to stereotypes Leprechauns, shamrocks and drink wear thin; the people are far more than tourist folklore.
- Haste and cold formality Relationships are built through unhurried conversation and good humor.
- Ignoring historical wounds Famine, emigration and the conflict in the north marked generations; speak of them with respect.
2b · The field
Areas of spiritual battle and cultural captivity to cover in prayer. Tap each point to understand:
An entire generation has grown up with no real connection to the gospel, indifferent to faith.
For many, faith has become cultural tradition and ceremony, without a relationship with Christ.
Scandals and abuse have driven multitudes away and created spiritual distrust.
Recent prosperity has brought a focus on consumption, career and status.
Excessive drinking is part of social culture and a source of much pain.
The nation that evangelized Europe now feels little need for God.
Truth has come to be seen as personal, making gospel preaching harder.
Growing up without faith, many seek meaning in alternative spiritualities.
The small evangelical church is scattered and faces loneliness and discouragement.
The split between Catholics and Protestants has left marks of mistrust.
Ireland guarantees broad religious freedom, and Christians live and practice their faith without legal restrictions. The country has one of the highest levels of religious freedom in Europe, and there is no organized persecution against the church.
The challenge is not oppression but indifference. In an increasingly secular society, talking about faith can sound outdated, and Christians who live out their convictions publicly sometimes meet irony or social rejection. For the few evangelicals, the greatest obstacle is isolation and spiritual coldness around them, not violence.
The pressure, then, is cultural and silent: to keep faith alive amid a nation that, having known Christianity for a thousand years, now largely turns its back on it.
The persecution score runs from 0 to 100: the higher it is, the greater the pressure on Christians.
Ireland is ethnically quite homogeneous, but immigration in recent decades has brought diversity to its cities. Among the groups with least access to a living gospel are secular Irish and nominal Catholics, who carry the Christian name without practiced faith, along with the Traveller community, an itinerant people with its own identity, and recently arrived immigrants. The greatest field is not geographic but an entire generation that has grown up distant from Christ.
- 57K Unreached 1,1%
- 30K Minimally reached 0,6%
- 4.7M Superficially reached 91%
- 325K Partially reached 6,3%
- 54K Significantly reached 1,1%
- 5 Unreached 13,9%
- 2 Minimally reached 5,6%
- 11 Superficially reached 30,6%
- 12 Partially reached 33,3%
- 6 Significantly reached 16,7%
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Sul-asiático de fala bengali
Western Punjabi Frontier
Urdu Frontier
Sul-Asiático
Árabe
Tamil hindu
Malayali
Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.
Pray
Intercede for this nation
Every nation carries a redemptive purpose. Marks that seem woven into the identity God desires to restore:
Go
Practical details for those who want to go
Local time
Cost of living
Dublin is the most expensive city in the country
Cost by city
Reference values (source: Numbeo). Confirm before traveling.
Practical points for those who go
- No need for perfect English: English is the everyday language and almost everyone speaks it.
- Respect Irish identity: do not treat the country as part of the United Kingdom.
- Bring rain gear: the weather changes quickly and rain is frequent year round.
- Value relationship: unhurried conversation and good humor open doors.
- Understand the secular context: most have Christian heritage but little practice of faith.
- Plan your budget: housing, especially in Dublin, is expensive and scarce.
Send and sustain
Not everyone goes, everyone takes part
Not everyone goes. Everyone takes part.
Behind every worker among these peoples stands a network of people who pray without ceasing, care for the family left behind, and faithfully sustain the work. Sending is mission too.
Start with your church: introduce this nation, adopt it in ongoing prayer, and walk alongside those God is raising up to go.