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Census figures or other sources of data for number of pagan?

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  • 03-11-2011 9:14pm
    #1
    Branoic
    Registered Users Posts: 1,742 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    Have the findings of the last census on religious identity been released yet, and do they specify the number of pagans in Ireland or just lump everything that's not Christian, Muslim or Jewish into one big "other" pile?

    I know it's always been said that it's been very difficult to determine the number of pagans in ireland, but I'd really like to have a rough idea of what it stands at now and how it may have changed over time.

    Anyone any information on this?

    Thanks!


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    #2
    Urizen
    Registered Users Posts: 1,354 ✭✭✭Urizen


    Well, as has been mentioned a lot recently, Pagan is a very broad term. And I seriously doubt that the census would put down each individual belief system down on their eventual report. For example, I specified 'Hellenic NeoPagan'. As far as I know, I'm the only one in the country that uses that particular title (though I would LOVE to be wrong about that). I don't think we're likely to see that on the report.

    Howeever, it would be interesting to see where the cut-off point is for what is an actual religion and what is just 'Other'. I'll look into that myself...


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    #3
    K2011
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭K2011


    I'm open to correction but I understand the 'Pagan Federation of Ireland' was involved to some degree with a campaign that urged Pagan people to state 'Pagan' in the 'Other Religion' box. As it operates as a representative body for the Pagan community it may, or should, possess some data to share with you.

    A broad term it may be, but if enough people just uniformly stated 'Pagan,' instead of selecting the 'No Religion' box (depending on one's definition of religion), or selecting 'Catholic' because they or their family habitually do so, or stating various Pagan traditions in the 'Other Religion' box, then we and the CSO may see our true size in numbers. Although it's highly unlikely, the CSO could in time offer it a stand alone box in the form to select, and/or include the number of Pagans in basic reports, if future numbers warranted it. But as long as people state paths like 'Hellenic NeoPagan,' for example, that won't happen because (A) the CSO won't take us seriously (no offence, but that's how most civil servants think!) and (B) the CSO are not familiar with such terms and paths and do not understand the connections between them.

    Of course there are some people who are not comfortable with the label 'Pagan' while some feel their path is a personal thing and wish not to be counted on the census.

    The CSO offers statistical reports free on its website, but I have not yet seen these contain a breakdown for the 'Other Religion' section. The same will apply to the reports for the most recent census. If the above group have no data you may submit a request to the CSO for a past or present report breakdown for the 'Other Religion' section but this will unfortunately cost you approximately €100 per report.

    The full results of the data analysis of the recent census will not be complete until March next year.


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