A new report s uggests that the decline of the Faith across the country may not have been as widespread as previously thought . Commissioned by the Irish bishops’ conference, co-authored by the religion statistician Stephen Bullivant, and drawing on data from the European Social Survey, a report entitled “Turning the tide? Report on recent religious trends on the island of Ireland” suggests that Ireland remains resiliently Catholic in the face of secularisation and that there

December 25, 2025. By CHRISTOPHER MANION We put Christmas candles in the windows of our home the other day. The custom began during Ireland’s Penal Days, when there was a price on the head of every priest. The candle would light a priest’s way through the dark to a house where he could safely celebrate Mass. It’s become a pretty universal decoration today, and secular types call it a quaint folk custom. But since I’m Irish, it reminds me of how deeply my ancestors cherished

Some good news for the faithful in Ireland!