Ethan Walker
Irish Americans are often assumed to be Catholic, but surveys and polls have found that the Irish American population is, in fact, more Protestant than Catholic. This is partly due to the earlier immigration of Irish Protestants, who began settling in the rural South and Appalachia as early as the 1600s and 1700s, and the conversion of some Irish Catholics to Protestantism upon their arrival in America.
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What You'll Learn
Irish Americans are more Protestant than Catholic
The Irish American population is more Protestant than Catholic, according to the General Social Survey (GSS). Close to half of Irish Americans are Protestant, while just one-third are Catholic. This is despite the fact that Catholicism seems woven into the fabric of Irish-American history.
The reasons for this discrepancy are complex and multifaceted. Firstly, it is important to understand the historical context of Irish immigration to America. The Protestant Irish, often referred to as the "Scotch-Irish", began immigrating to America as early as the 1600s and 1700s. On the other hand, the Catholic Irish immigration waves occurred later, with significant numbers arriving during and after the Great Famine of 1845-1852. As a result, there has been a larger cumulative number of Protestant Irish immigrants to America over time.
Additionally, the religious landscape of Ireland during the immigration period played a role. In Ireland, the Catholic Church was associated with Irish nationalism and resistance to British rule, while Protestants generally aligned with British identity. This dynamic carried over into the American context, with Irish Catholics facing intense anti-Catholic sentiment during the Great Famine period. The "Know Nothing" movement targeted Catholics, leading to violent riots in New York and Philadelphia. Such discrimination may have pushed some Irish Catholics away from their religious identity or made them less inclined to publicly identify as Catholic.
Furthermore, the availability of religious institutions in America influenced the religious practices of Irish immigrants. In the rural South, where many Protestant Irish settled, the absence of Catholic priests led some Catholics to turn to Baptist or Methodist churches for their spiritual needs. Over time, this may have contributed to a shift towards Protestantism among Irish Americans.
It is also worth noting that the concept of being "Irish" in America has evolved to encompass multiple meanings. For Catholics, the link between being Catholic and being Irish is strong, with Irish Catholics often viewed as devout. On the other hand, for Protestants, being Irish is often connected to "Scotch-Irish" roots and values associated with the American Revolution. This dual identity has contributed to the perception of Irish Americans as predominantly Protestant.
In conclusion, while Catholicism is a significant aspect of Irish-American culture and history, the demographic reality is that Irish Americans are more Protestant than Catholic. This disparity can be attributed to historical immigration patterns, religious discrimination, practical considerations regarding religious institutions, and the evolving nature of ethnic and religious identities in America.
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Irish Catholics are characterised by their dual identity
The history of Irish Catholics is marked by centuries of religious and political conflict with English and British rule, which attempted to impose Protestantism on Ireland. Irish Catholics resisted, maintaining their faith through clandestine practices and facing discrimination and restrictions on their rights. This shared history of resilience against oppression has shaped the Irish Catholic identity.
In the diaspora, particularly in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, Irish Catholics have established tight-knit communities, maintaining their faith and cultural practices. They faced anti-Catholic prejudice but preserved their identity through parish networks, cultural festivals, and political activism. Despite facing discrimination and violence, Irish Catholics played a major role in shaping the cultural, religious, and political landscapes of these countries.
While the influence of the Catholic Church in Ireland has declined in recent decades due to secularisation and scandals, the ethnoreligious identity remains strong among diaspora communities. Irish Catholics in the diaspora express their identity through cultural festivals, community organisations, and religious practices, such as Saint Patrick's Day parades and Gaelic language classes.
It is worth noting that, contrary to common belief, some sources indicate that Irish Americans are more Protestant than Catholic. This may be due to factors such as conversion, assimilation, and the different waves of immigration, with Protestant Irish immigrating earlier than Irish Catholics. However, the perception of a link between Irish identity and Catholicism remains entrenched, especially for Catholic Americans.
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Irish Protestants associate with British identity
In Northern Ireland, national identity is complex and diverse. While the majority of people of Catholic background are Irish, most of those of Protestant background consider themselves British. This has origins in the 17th-century Plantation of Ulster, when Protestant British settlers colonised counties in Ulster, previously a centre of rebellion. The settlers and their descendants did not assimilate with the Irish, instead holding on to British identity and remaining loyal to the British crown.
During the English Reformation in the 16th century, Protestantism was imposed on Ireland, confiscating Catholic lands and suppressing monasteries. Irish Catholics resisted, setting the stage for centuries of religious and political conflict. From 1695, the Penal Laws restricted Catholic rights, barring them from owning land, holding public office, or practicing their religion openly. Catholics adapted through hedge schools and secret Masses, preserving their faith and culture.
In the early 20th century, most Ulster Protestants and Catholics saw themselves as Irish, although Protestants tended to have a strong sense of Britishness as well. Following the Home Rule Crisis and Irish War of Independence, Protestants gradually began to abandon Irish identity, as Irishness and Britishness came to be seen as mutually exclusive. In 1968, just before the onset of the Troubles, 39% of Protestants described themselves as British, 20% as Irish, and 32% chose an Ulster identity. By 1978, following the worst years of the conflict, the majority (67%) were calling themselves British and only 8% Irish. This shift has not been reversed.
In the United States, the Irish American population is more Protestant than Catholic. Close to half are Protestant, while just one-third are Catholic. This is contrary to the common belief that Irish Americans are predominantly Catholic. This may be due to the fact that the Protestant Irish, often referred to as the Scotch-Irish, began immigrating sooner, many in the 1600s and 1700s. Some Irish Catholics who arrived in America also converted to Protestantism, mostly Baptist, due to the lack of Catholic clergy.
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Irish Catholics faced discrimination in Northern Ireland
Irish Catholics and Irish Protestants have historically been divided by political, religious, and social differences, resulting in widespread self-segregation of the two communities. This self-segregation has been driven by a combination of factors, including safety concerns due to intercommunal tensions and violence, as well as cultural and religious differences.
In Northern Ireland, Irish Catholics faced systemic discrimination, particularly in the areas of employment and housing, under Protestant-majority governance. This discrimination can be traced back to the 16th century when English rule imposed Protestantism, confiscating Catholic lands and suppressing monasteries. From 1695, the Penal Laws further restricted Catholic rights, prohibiting them from owning land, holding public office, or practising their religion openly.
The legacy of these historical injustices persisted into the 20th century, with Northern Irish Catholics claiming that many practices introduced by the British government during this period were oppressive and discriminatory. Specifically, they alleged that the government gave preferential treatment to Protestants in housing and employment, gerrymandered electoral boundaries, and abused civil power. This unrest culminated in the civil rights movement of the 1960s, which sought to address these inequities. However, this movement was met with aggressive opposition from Protestant paramilitary groups, escalating the sectarian tensions during the Troubles (1960s–1998).
During the Troubles, Irish Catholic involvement in republican groups like the Irish Republican Army (IRA) was particularly divisive, viewed as resistance by some and as terrorism by others. The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 significantly reduced violence and addressed discriminatory practices, but lingering tensions and segregation have continued to shape Northern Ireland's social landscape.
Education in Northern Ireland is heavily segregated, with most state schools predominantly Protestant, while the majority of Catholic children attend schools maintained by the Catholic Church. Employment has also been an area of segregation, with certain sectors of the economy, such as shipbuilding and heavy engineering, and strategically important areas like the police force, historically favouring Protestants, particularly in senior positions.
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Irish Catholics in the US faced anti-Catholic sentiment
Irish Catholics in the US have historically faced anti-Catholic sentiment. This sentiment has its roots in centuries of tension between Protestants and Catholics, which was exacerbated by Irish immigration to the United States. During the 19th century, Irish Catholics were stereotyped as violent and alcoholic, with magazines such as Punch portraying them with "bestial, ape-like or demonic features". Protestants also used crime statistics to allege that Irish Catholics were overrepresented in crime and that this was due to a lack of morality stemming from Catholic religious belief or racial inferiority. This led to the isolation and marginalization of Irish Catholics by Protestant society.
Verbal attacks often led to mob violence, with Protestants burning down St. Mary's Catholic Church in New York City in 1831 and riots in Philadelphia in 1844 leaving thirteen dead. During the Great Famine in the mid-19th century, some evangelical Protestants sought to convert starving Catholics as part of their relief efforts. Anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic sentiments in the 1840s produced groups such as the nativist American Party, or the "Know-Nothings", which fought against foreign influences and promoted traditional American ideals. "No Irish Need Apply" signs reflected job discrimination against Irish Catholics.
In the late 19th century, statesmen feared that Catholics were less than civilized and less than white. This sentiment was also reflected in the works of 18th-century writers such as the French philosopher Voltaire, who defended British rule in Ireland and depicted the Catholic Irish as savage and backward. The Act for the Settlement of Ireland in 1652 barred Irish Catholics from most public offices and confiscated their land, giving it to Protestant settlers. Intermarriage between Catholics and Protestants was strongly discouraged by both religious groups.
Irish Catholics in the US also faced discrimination in education and employment. They built a network of parochial schools, colleges, orphanages, and hospitals, using nuns as an inexpensive workforce, to avoid public institutions mostly controlled by Protestants. In the 20th century, the demagogic "radio priest" Charles Coughlin deepened the divide between Catholics and non-Catholics in the 1930s, but by the 1950s, a new broadcast prelate, Fulton Sheen, earned the admiration of Jews and Protestants for his centrism. In 1960, John F. Kennedy faced some obstacles in becoming the country's first Catholic president due to his Catholicism, but he overcame them with ease.
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Frequently asked questions
Contrary to common belief, a national poll has found that the Irish American population is more Protestant than Catholic.
There were two waves of Irish immigration to the US. The first wave, from 1770 to 1830, was mostly Anglo-Saxon and Protestant. The second wave, from the 1820s to the 1880s, was largely Celtic and Catholic. However, due to the lack of Catholic clergy in America, many Irish Catholics who immigrated during the first wave converted to Protestantism, particularly Baptist and Methodist denominations.
Irish Catholics and Protestants have historically had differing political affiliations. Irish Catholics in Ireland and abroad advocated for Irish nationalism and independence from British rule, while Irish Protestants generally supported British rule. In the US, Irish Catholics faced intense anti-Catholic sentiment, which led to violence and discrimination. As a result, some Irish Catholics who immigrated to the US during the first wave may have converted to Protestantism to avoid persecution and align themselves with the Protestant majority.
While the first wave of Irish immigration to the US was predominantly Protestant, the second wave was largely Catholic. As a result, the total number of Irish Catholic immigrants surpassed that of Irish Protestant immigrants. However, it is important to note that the fertility rates among Irish Americans were lower from 1840 to 1970, which may have impacted the religious composition of subsequent generations. Additionally, some Irish Catholics who converted to Protestantism during the Second Great Awakening (1790-1840) may have contributed to the higher number of Irish Protestants in the US today.
