Catholics in Northern Ireland outnumber Protestants for the first time ever, census shows

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THE NUMBER of Catholics living in Northern Ireland outnumber that of Protestants for the first time, census 2021 figures show.

The numbers for 2021 reveal 45.7% of the population are Catholic, compared to 43.5% who are Protestant.

The previous census in 2011 showed Protestants outnumbered Catholics by 48% to 45% after falling below 50% for the first time.

The state of Northern Ireland was established with the intent of maintaining a pro-British Protestant "unionist" majority as a counterweight to the newly independent and predominantly Catholic Irish state to the south.

The shift could drive support for the region to split away from Britain and join a united Ireland.

31.9% of people also identified as 'British-only', while 8% identified themselves and 'British and Irish.

The proportion saying they were "Irish only" was 29.1% while those identifying as "Northern Irish only" was 19.8%.

In the 2011 census, 40% said they had a British-only national identity, 25% said they had an Irish-only identity and 21% viewed their identity as being only Northern Irish.

The 2021 figures also showed 9.3% of the population as belonging to no religion, up from 5.6% in 2011.

Commenting on the publication of the results, SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MP said that the North has been totally transformed 100 years on from partition, and urged people to undertake a serious and sincere reflection on the scale of change that has been experienced and to take part in a conversation about the powerful potential for a social democratic new Ireland.

“As we have built a more inclusive and diverse society, we have together shattered the bonds of an oppressive state which engrained discrimination against a Catholic minority in its every outworking for far too long," he said.

"We are never going back to state sponsored discrimination against any religious minority. I hope that all those who lived through decades of discrimination and who experienced the sharp end of that oppressive state are able to breathe a sigh of relief today."

Sinn Féin MP John Finucane has said the publication of the 2021 Census results indicate that 'historic change is happening’ and said preparations and dialogue on building a better future should begin now.

“Today‘s census results are another clear indication that historic change is happening across this island and of the diversity of society which enriches us all.

“There is no doubt change is underway and irreversible. How that change is shaped moving forward requires maturity to take the challenges which face our society."

Prior to the publication of the results, the DUP's Gregory Campbell described the linking o fthe number of Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland with the prospect of a Border poll is "lazy analysis"

Gregory Campbell said writers and politicians using a "religious headcount" to speculate about a united Ireland referendum "should step back" and examine electoral outcomes over the last two decades.

In May's Northern Ireland elections, Sinn Féin came out with the most votes for the first time, and when combined with the SDLP and Aontú's votes, nationalists received 39.6 per cent.

This compares to the combined unionist vote receiving 40.4 per cent across the DUP, UUP, PUP and TUV.

"Some make an automatic read across that more Roman Catholics or fewer Protestants means border poll," Campbell said. "It is undoubtedly the case that there has been a change in the demographic makeup of Northern Ireland over the last 50 years.

"As the census will show, there are no majorities. There is a Protestant minority, a Roman Catholic minority and a minority of people who don't describe themselves as coming from either of these two backgrounds."

See More: Census Results, DUP, Northern Ireland, SDLP, Sinn Féin