Census tells the story of a changing Ireland

Last week’s release of the 1926 Census marks a pivotal moment in Irish history, as it was the first census recorded in the Irish Free State.

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) examines the census in detail, identifying some interesting talking points throughout.

One of the key findings was in population, which was 2.97 million at the time, and by 2022, it had grown to 5.15 million.

This shows an increase of 73%, and marks a shift from long term decline to sustained population growth.

Dublin accounted for 17% of the population, with Cork taking up 12%. In 2022, Dublin had risen to 28%, while Cork sat at 11%.

The population was made up of 97% Irish born people, with just 1% of people being born outside of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Great Britain.

In 2022, Irish born residents made up 80%, while 14% of residents were born outside Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

In terms of Religion, Roman Catholics were the most common religion, making up 93% of the population, by 2022 this was 69%. In 2022, people with no religion made up 15% of the population.

In 1926, 1,307,662 people were working, with 74% of the workforce made up of men, while 26% were women.

This increased to 2,320,297 people working, with 53% being men and 47% being women, marking a greater gender balance.

Statistician in the Census Division, Maria Yasin, said: “Census 1926 provides a statistical overview of Ireland at an important point in its history.

As the first census carried out by the Irish Free State, it records the demographic and social conditions of the time, including population size, religion, occupation, migration, and the Irish language.

“With the tables now digitised and freely available to everyone on the CSO’s open data portal, we can compare the Census 1926 figures with those from Census 2022 and see how these areas have changed over the past century.

The information gathered in the Census 1926 stands as a baseline for understanding a century of demographic, economic, and social development.

“The CSO is uniquely placed to compare 1926 data with our most recent census, which took place in 2022, and this analysis informs our understanding of long-term trends that shape Ireland today. By bringing these statistics together, this release allows us to see not only how Ireland once was, but how profoundly it has changed.”