STATISTICS OFTHEIRISHCHURCH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2005, 3 June 1868, Page 5

STATISTICS OFTHEIRISHCHURCH.

(From the Time*, March 26.)

Tho relative numbers of the principal religious bodies in Ireland, according to the Census returns of 1801, were as follow : —Members of the Established Church, 093,857, or 11.9 per cent of the total population ; Roman Catholics, 4,505,265, or. 77*7 per cent. ; Presbyterians, 623,201, or 9"0 per cent ; Methodists, 45,399, or o*B per cent. ; Independents, 4,532 ; Baptists, 4,237 ; Quakers, 3,695, or O'l per cent. ; persons returned under all other persuasions, 18,798, or 03 per cent., exclusive of 391} Jews. Tho Province of Dieter contained the largest number of persons in communion with the Established Church, the members of which amounted to 391.315, or 20 A per cent, of the population of tliat Province. In Leinstcr the Established Church had 180,587 adherents, or 1239 per cent, of the population; in Munster they numbered 80,800, or 5 3 per cent. ; and in Con naught, where tho members of the Established Church were fewest, absolutely and relatively to population, they amounted to 40,605, or 444 per cent. The number of members of tho Established Church in proportion to population was greatest in the County of Fermanagh, 40,608, or 38 "4 per cent. Tho suburbs of the City of Dublin follow, with 17,068, or 35 per cent., and the County of Armagh, with 58,735, or 30*9 per cent. In the Counties of Down and Tyrone respectively tho numbers were 00,905 and 52,240, or 20*3 and 211) per cent. In tho. town of Belfast they wero 29,832, or 24*7 per cent. In the counties of Dublin (exclusive of the suburbs of tho city), Wicklow, Antrim, and Londonderry, in tho county of the town of Carrickferguß, and in tho city of Dublin, the members of the Established Church were more than 15 and under 20 per cent. In the King's and Queen's counties, and in the counties of Cavan, Carlow, Kildare, Donegal, and Monaghan, and in the city of Cork, their per centago was over 10 and under 15. In the counties of Longford, Louth, Mea*h, Weatmeath, Wexford, Cork (East and West | -Ridings), Tippcrary (North Riding), Lei- ] trim, and Sligo, in the town of Drogheda, and cities of Kilkenny, Limerick, and Watcrford, Protestants of tho Established Church were over 5 and under 10 per cent. In tho counties of Kilkenny, Limorick, Tipperary (South Riding), Kerry, and Roscommon, and in the town of Galway, tho percentages exceeded 3, and were under 5. In tho counties of Waterford, Gal way, and Mayo, they exceeded 2, and wore undor 3 ; and in the county of Clare tho members of tho Established Church formed only 2 per eon*, of its population. Xt io notowortny that whilu thn members of the Irish Church did not constitute a majority, or the principal section of the population in any of the counties or towns enumerated above, yet in tho county of tho town of Carrickfergus, they formed a majority compared with the Roman Catholics, the proportional numbers being 19-3 for the Established Church, and 11-1 for Roman Catholics ; while the Presbyterians wore 59 "2 per cent. In the counties of Antrim and Down, the county of tho town of Carrickfergus, and tho town of Belfast, the Roman CutholLa were outnumbered by tho Presbyterians. Of the entire population of tho 33 Parliamentary boroughs (797,467) the number belonging to tho Established Church was 132,120, or 16-0 per cent. In tho boroughs of Carrickfergus and Coloraine tho members of tho Irish Church were in a majority as regards Roman Catholics, and in the borough of Liaburn thoy were the largest section. Turning to tho towns of Ireland, it appears that in Dromore (county of Down), Lurgan, and Portadown (county of Armagh), Portobello, in the suburbs of Dublin, and Lisburn, in the counties of Antrim and Down, the members of tho Established Church formed tho largest section of tho population, but nowhere did they constitute an absolute majority ovor all denominations except in tho town of Portobello, which included 776 military of tho Established Church resident in the barracks. In tho 27 years, 1834 to 1861, the population of Ireland hod decreased 2,155,133; the Roman Catholic population had fallen off by as many as 1,930,795 or 30 per cent, and tho Protestant by 224,731, or 14*8 per cent. The decrease in tho Established Church was 159,803, or 187 per cent. Dividing the population of Ireland into two grand classes, Protestant and Roman Catholic, it appears that the former amounted to 1,289,200, | or 2223 per cent, while tho latter amounted to 4,505,265, or 77"69 per cent. Tho proportional number of Protestants and Roman Catholics respectively in each province was 14*0 and 85-9 in Leinster, 6-07 and 93 8 in Munster, 49 5 and 505 in Ulster, and 5-l and 94 Bin Connaught.